Calling all scuba divers! For students on the South Queensland program or just avid divers, be sure to consider diving at Flinders Reef outside of Brisbane near Moreton Island for impressive coral, fish and turtle diversity.

Flinders Reef is an isolated reef north of Cape Moreton, which makes is the closest true coral reef to Queensland’s capital city. With the highest number of coral species of any sub-tropical reef system along Australia’s east coast, Flinders Reef has the coral diversity to match its fish diversity of over 175 fish species.

Hawksbill sea turtle

Divers may also see manta rays, wobbegongs, leopard sharks and sea turtle species of green Pacific and hawksbill. Pictured left, a juvenile hawksbill sea turtle emerges from beneath an outcropping on Flinders Reef’s west side. Photo provided by Darren Smith.

For details on day trips to Flinders Reef, we’ve heard positive remarks about Nautilus Scuba Centre, which includes transfer from Brisbane to Scarborough, where the boat departs, in a dive package.