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Thetford Reef is located 45 km off the coast of Cairns and can be reached by a 90-minute trip. It offers excellent snorkeling and diving, with two kilometres of reef featuring scattered coral heads, sandy areas, and swim-throughs. Thetford Reef spans approximately 1.9 to 2 square kilometres.
Boats like Passions of Paradise, Silverswift, and the Pro Dive often use moorings at Thetford Reef because it’s closer to Cairns and more sheltered from the open ocean. This means less punching out in windy or rough conditions, making it an ideal fallback when outer reefs like Milln or Flynn are harder to reach.
“We have dived Thetford Reef many times over the years. Personally, I prefer the outer reefs such as Milln and Flynn, but we have always enjoyed our dives. Thetford and similar reefs tend to offer different marine life. I still remember getting one of my best photos of a Nemo on Thetford Reef.” – Richard Johnston
Thetford Reef is ideal for adventurous snorkellers and divers, offering vibrant coral gardens and diverse marine life. It’s perfect for those looking to actively explore the reef. However, with no glass-bottom boats or semi-submersible tours, it’s not suitable for non-swimmers, if you are apprehensive about spending all day in the water and would prefer to have a few “dry” reef experiences then check out the Sunlover tour at Moore Reef.
Thetford Reef’s shallow waters make it an ideal location for snorkeling. The reef features a mix of hard and soft corals, as well as giant clams. Common sightings include butterflyfish and anemonefish swimming through the coral. A popular snorkeling spot is Squirts, known for its vibrant coral gardens and active fish life. Based on experience, mornings generally offer the best visibility for snorkelers.
Thetford Reef offers diving depths of 5 to 18 meters, with sites like Squirts featuring staghorn and plate corals. Divers regularly encounter species such as cuttlefish, fusiliers, giant clams, and anemonefish. The reef’s structure includes coral gardens, sandy areas, and swim-throughs, making it an interesting dive site for both introductory and certified divers.
Thetford Reef offers a range of dive sites with depths between 5 and 30 meters. The reef features a mix of hard and soft corals, bommies, and swim-throughs. Marine life includes giant clams, turtles, reef sharks, and fusiliers, making it ideal for both snorkeling and diving.
Mystery, with depths ranging from 9 to 15 meters, is known for its vibrant coral formations and thriving marine life. Divers frequently encounter giant clams, batfish, and butterflyfish while exploring the site. Colorful sea fans and sea whips add to the diverse coral landscape. Large schools of fish are also a common sight, making this a dynamic and engaging underwater environment.
Ranging from 5 to 18 meters in depth, Squirts offers a variety of hard and soft corals. The site is teeming with marine life, including cuttlefish, fusiliers, and anemonefish. The combination of abundant fish life and diverse coral formations makes Squirts a favourite for both snorkelers and divers.
With a maximum depth of 18 meters, Blue Lagoon is a protected lagoon surrounded by bommies and shallow sand areas. Divers can explore coral walls and swim-throughs, with staghorn, boulder, and plate corals making up much of the coral landscape. Marine life such as giant clams, butterflyfish, wrasse, parrotfish, and black tip reef sharks are frequently spotted in the area.
At depths reaching up to 30 meters, Cathedral features coral outcrops and bommies scattered over a sandy seabed. The site is well-known for its abundant fish life in the shallows and is a popular spot for night dives. Regular sightings include sleeping turtles, barracudas, and bull rays, with gorgonian fans and swim-throughs providing added interest. Diagonally banded sweetlips and nudibranchs also contribute to the rich marine diversity here.
Horseshoe is a maze of five coral outcrops arranged in a horseshoe shape, with swim-throughs and chasms that lead to two large canyons adorned with gorgonian fans. Marine life includes turtles, Maori wrasse, giant trevally, chevron barracuda, Moorish idols, sweetlips, fusiliers, and various types of clownfish. Depths range from 10 to 25 meters, with the shallows at the back being ideal for snorkelers.
Dog’s Bommie rises from around 22 meters at its base to just 4 meters below the surface. The site, located some distance from the reef, often attracts larger pelagic species like mackerel and tuna. Schools of fusiliers and damselfish are frequently seen here, along with moray eels, turtles, and lionfish. Due to its exposure, this site is generally only visited in good weather conditions.
Canyons features a series of swim-throughs and canyons separated from the main reef. This bommie rises from around 20 meters to just below the surface. The site boasts a variety of corals, and large schools of damselfish and fusiliers can often be seen near the boat. Divers can enjoy the intricate reef formations, while snorkelers will appreciate the rich coral growth in the shallows.
The Wall offers a dive down to 25 meters, with opportunities to see schools of pelagic fish, barracudas, reef sharks, and eagle rays. Moray eels and lionfish are frequently encountered, and a leopard shark has been sighted on multiple occasions. The wall is adorned with soft and hard corals, making it a colourful and exciting dive site.
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Average monthly weather data for Thetford Reef based on last years observations (2023)...
Please be aware that this data is intended for reference purposes only. We strongly advise you to verify the weather conditions through the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to ensure accuracy and account for any discrepancies.
Thetford Reef is home to a diverse range of coral species that create vital habitats for marine life. The reef includes both hard and soft corals, each contributing to the ecosystem’s complexity. Staghorn coral (Acropora) is one of the most common hard corals, forming large branching colonies that shelter various fish species. Brain coral (Platygyra), with its distinctive maze-like patterns, can be found across both shallow and deeper parts of the reef. Plate corals (Montipora) are prevalent in the deeper sections, where their flat, table-like structures provide additional space for marine life to thrive.
In deeper areas, soft corals such as sea fans (Gorgonia) and sea whips (Ellisella) are prominent. Sea fans grow in large, fan-shaped formations, while sea whips are thin and flexible, offering vertical structure for smaller organisms. These coral species support a variety of marine life, including anemonefish (Amphiprioninae), butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae), and blue tangs (Paracanthurus hepatus), which are frequently seen swimming around the coral gardens. Giant clams (Tridacna) are also a notable feature of Thetford Reef, along with sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea), which contribute to the reef’s ecosystem by cleaning the ocean floor.
The reef’s fish population is equally diverse, with regular sightings of reef sharks (Carcharhinidae), moray eels (Muraenidae), and larger pelagic species like mackerel (Scombridae) and tuna (Thunnini), especially around deeper bommies such as Dog’s Bommie. Schooling fish such as fusiliers (Caesionidae) and damsels (Pomacentridae) create dynamic displays in the water column, while species like sweetlip (Plectorhinchus) and trevally (Carangidae) are commonly found near coral outcrops. Turtles, including green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), are frequently seen resting in the shallows or swimming along the reef walls.
The biodiversity remains consistent throughout the year, although seasonal changes can affect visibility and the behavior of some species. The reef’s depth variations and structural complexity ensure a rich habitat for both resident and migratory species, contributing to its ecological importance.
Thetford Reef is located about 45 km off the coast of Cairns, positioned roughly 50 km directly offshore from Yorkeys Knob on the Great Barrier Reef. It is considered part of the inner reefs.
Visitors to Thetford Reef can expect to see a variety of hard and soft corals, including staghorn corals, sea fans, and plate corals. Common marine life includes giant clams, cuttlefish, anemonefish, butterflyfish, and schools of fusiliers. In deeper areas, you may encounter reef sharks and turtles.
Thetford Reef offers a range of snorkeling and diving opportunities, with shallow coral gardens that are ideal for beginners. However, the reef is best suited for confident swimmers, as there are no glass-bottom boats or semi-submersible options.
The dive sites at Thetford Reef range from shallow areas at around 5 meters to deeper spots reaching 30 meters. Popular dive sites include Squirts and Cathedral, which offer a mix of coral formations and marine life at various depths.
Yes, Thetford Reef is popular for night diving, particularly at sites like Cathedral, where divers often encounter sleeping turtles, barracudas, and nocturnal marine species.
Yes, reef sharks are commonly spotted at Thetford Reef, especially around deeper bommies. Blacktip and whitetip reef sharks are frequently seen cruising the waters.
Turtles, including green and hawksbill turtles, are regularly sighted at Thetford Reef, both in the shallow areas and along the reef walls.
It’s recommended to book your tours in advance, either online or offline. We offer both booking options and are happy to provide advice to ensure you secure a spot and have the best experience at Thetford Reef or any destination.
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