Great Barrier Reef and Museum of Underwater Art Day Trip

Join this must-do experience to explore the Great Barrier Reef and Museum of Underwater Art with a full-day diving or snorkelling trip from Townsville or Magnetic Island. 

Your journey takes you out to the Central Section of the Great Barrier Reef on a custom-built day vessel. The Central Section is a little further off the Queensland Coast than other sections and, as a result, has some of the best sites of the whole Great Barrier Reef.

This trip takes you to John Brewer Reef, a fantastic coral reef bursting with a plethora of marine life.The depths of the reef range from 16 metres up to the surface, making it ideal for snorkellers, from beginners to experienced. Schools of bait fish are a common sight, as well as an abundance of colourful reef fish, including Parrot fish, Maori wrasse, Clownfish, and Angelfish. Turtles, Stingrays, White tip, and Blacktip reef sharks are often sighted.

You'll also visit The Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA), an installation at 16 meters surrounded by this reef. With the bright and beautiful colours, it's the perfect backdrop and location, providing a balance between man-made and nature's art. As the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, MOUA will act to highlight reef conservation, restoration, and education on a global scale. The site, located on the northern end of John Brewer Reef, is rich in history with a strong connection to Indigenous culture.

The Coral Greenhouse, the first submerged building design by world-class artist Jason de Caires Taylor, is a bucket list item no one should miss! The greenhouse, which many people think of as glass walls filled with fruit or flowers, instead boasts a mix of art and science both inside and outside. The structure is based at 16 metres in depth and reaches up to 6 metres below the surface. It includes life-like figures and sculptures of trees and coral gardens, making this staggering 72-metre exhibit a wonderland for divers.

Learn how the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is managed and what is being done to protect it. The friendly crew will take you through ways you can help protect the reef and its creatures for future generations.

Your day also includes all meals, with morning tea, afternoon tea, and a delicious buffet lunch. Plus, stay hydrated with iced water, cordial, tea and coffee available throughout the day.

Come and spend a day snorkelling or scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Discover this remarkable world that offers a guaranteed WOW factor and a lifetime of memories.

Departure info

The cruise departs from the Breakwater Marina, 26 Mariners Drive, The Strand, Townsville QLD 4810 or the Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal, Nelly Bay, Magnetic Island QLD 4819.