Opal Reef
Conditions & tides
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.
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About this site
Opal Reef is a series of interconnected reefs located near Port Douglas, Queensland, on the outer Great Barrier Reef. It offers a variety of dive and snorkel sites within the one system, ranging from shallow coral gardens to deeper walls, making it suitable for divers and snorkellers of all experience levels.
The reef's terrain moves from colourful shallow coral gardens into deeper wall sections, giving divers a choice of profiles on the same visit. The coral gardens are rich and varied, and the sheltered conditions keep the water calm, which suits beginners in particular.
Marine life at Opal Reef includes green turtles, clownfish, giant clams, stingrays, Maori wrasse, cod, and parrotfish. Snorkellers and divers regularly encounter all of these species across the reef's multiple sites.
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Access is by boat, departing from Crystalbrook Marina in Port Douglas. Visits typically take in up to three outer reef sites, with easy water entry and exit provided from the vessel. On days with low passenger numbers or poor weather, itineraries may shift between Agincourt and Opal Reefs to ensure the best outer reef conditions. The minimum age to scuba dive is 12 years; divers under 18 require parental or guardian permission, and those over 70 must provide a doctor's clearance before diving.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Speckled ButterflyfishChaetodon citrinellusReported here · unconfirmed
Sixband ParrotfishScarus frenatusReported here · unconfirmed
Humpback SnapperLutjanus gibbusReported here · unconfirmed
Blackback ButterflyfishChaetodon melannotusReported here · unconfirmed
Jewel DamselStegastes lacrymatusReported here · unconfirmed
Black-axil ChromisChromis atripectoralisReported here · unconfirmed
Speckled DamselPomacentrus bankanensisReported here · unconfirmed
Dusky SurgeonfishAcanthurus nigrofuscusReported here · unconfirmed
Scaly DamselPomacentrus lepidogenysReported here · unconfirmed
Blackbar DamselfishPlectroglyphidodon dickiiReported here · unconfirmed
ClownfishClownfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
LionfishLionfishReported here · unconfirmed
WobbegongWobbegongReported here · unconfirmed
Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseReported here · unconfirmed
ParrotfishParrotfishReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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