Michaelmas Reef

Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australiareef8 m maxbeginner

Explore more dive sites in Australia

Conditions & tides

Satellite view of Michaelmas Reef

Michaelmas ReefGreat Barrier Reef · 8 m

Fair · 3/5

© Esri

conditions visualisation

Fair3/5

Some chop right now — best window today 7 AM–5 PM.

Wind18 kn SE

Current~0.4 kn WNW · model

Swell

0.7 m · 6s · E

Water

24 °C

Conditions through the day

6 AM6 PM

Calmest current near slack — 01:00 PM & 01:45 AM local

Sunrise 06:03 AM · Sunset 06:11 PM local

Show details

Tide · local

Outlook — select a day for full conditions

On-face swell 0.9 m — the component of the swell aimed at this site’s exposed face. Current is a regional model value (Copernicus, ~9 km grid) — a guide to the area, not a precise reef measurement. Imagery © Esri · not depth or visibility.

Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model

Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.

Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?

About this site

Michaelmas Reef sits on the outer Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, in the ribbon reef zone reached by boat from the northern Queensland coast. Michaelmas Cay, a low sand island popular with seabirds, lies at the edge of this reef system and is a common day trip destination from Cairns and Port Douglas. Diving here is rated for beginners, with depths reaching around 8 metres over the reef flat. Divers have reported guitarfish, nudibranchs, sea turtles, and stingrays around the site.

AI overview

Marine life here

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

StingrayStingrayReported here · unconfirmed
Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
Striped SurgeonfishAcanthurus lineatusReported here · unconfirmed
Sixband ParrotfishScarus frenatusReported here · unconfirmed
Brown TangZebrasoma scopasReported here · unconfirmed
Jewel DamselStegastes lacrymatusReported here · unconfirmed
Blackbar DamselfishPlectroglyphidodon dickiiReported here · unconfirmed
Indian Bullethead ParrotfishChlorurus sordidusReported here · unconfirmed
Scaly DamselPomacentrus lepidogenysReported here · unconfirmed
Philippine DamselPomacentrus philippinusReported here · unconfirmed
Yellowtail DemoiselleNeopomacentrus azysronReported here · unconfirmed
Dusky SurgeonfishAcanthurus nigrofuscusReported here · unconfirmed
FusilierFusilierReported here · unconfirmed
NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
GuitarfishGuitarfishReported here · unconfirmed
TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed
BatfishBatfishReported here · unconfirmed
SurgeonfishSurgeonfishReported here · unconfirmed

Diver notes

Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.

No notes yet. Dived here? Be the first to leave a tip.

Contribute to this site

Share a write-up or a photo. Submissions are reviewed before they appear on the page.

0/4000 (min 40)

Nearby dive sites

Broken PatchesGreat Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia5.6 km Turtle BommieGreat Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia6.5 km Michaelmas CayGreat Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia6.5 km CanyonsGreat Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia6.6 km Hastings ReefGreat Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia7.2 km Hastings Reef - Fish BowlAustralia7.3 km

Shops that dive here

No shops have listed this site yet.