Great Barrier Reef Photography Expedition

Begin your eco adventures at the Great Barrier Reef by flying into the city of Cairns. Start your photography adventure with a scenic flight over the reef to capture the bird’s-eye views of the turquoise waters. From here you’ll see a broad view of the picturesque waters of the Pacific Ocean, and you may even be able to see large ocean animals swimming below the surface. 

After your scenic flight, get the sand between your toes and find a local restaurant to taste the fresh seafood of the area. 

After a fresh breakfast, travel to Port Douglas and take a boat out to the shallow and sheltered waters of the Low Isles. Spend your day on this quaint island and snorkel through the lagoon to capture once in a lifetime views of coral and seagrass. The islands are also home to a large population of sea turtles, so if you’re lucky you will get to see one of these gentle creatures on the sandy floor of the ocean. If you need a break, explore the museum on the island and snap a picture of the active lighthouse. Spend as much time as it pleases you in the clear blue waters before heading back to Cairns for the night. 

Start the day early by taking a short flight to the vibrant city, Townsville. Here you will meet with your guide for a day of diving in the central parts of the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t forget your underwater camera and flippers before making your way out to sea. Start your dive at the Yongala Shipwreck, which sank in 1911 and see life underwater there in one of the best dive destinations in the world. This location is a great place to capture the natural and unnatural living together in harmony below the surface

After spending some time at the wreck, eat a quick lunch on the boat as you make your way to the Lodestone Reef. Here, you will see coral towers the locals call “bommies” or bombora along the sandy bottom, and colorful coral walls in the deep gullies. Once you have set your feet back on land, find a restaurant to satisfy your tastebuds. 

Fly down to the city of Bundaberg where you will take another flight to Lady Elliot Island, the home of the manta ray. Here, there are endless opportunities to capture unique underwater photos of wildlife and unique underwater landscapes. For today, visit the Severance wreck of 1999 where you can find manta rays and large schools of tropical fish. Then visit the Maori Wrasse Bommie where you can find sleeping turtles, white-tip reef sharks, and groupers. To get the most out of this paradise, stay the night on the island to finish off the rest of the local diving spots tomorrow. 

Wake up to chirping birds and the sound of palm trees swaying in the wind. After eating breakfast, make your way to the east side of the island where the water has a depth of 10 to 25 meters. Here you can see the famous L-shaped blowhole, and if you swim south of the ledge, you will come upon Hiros Cave. Here, you can catch a glimpse of the silvertip shark, anemones filled with clownfish, and maybe come across manta rays. For the afternoon, visit the bommies in the area. These coral formations are a great way to capture many different kinds of fish like leopard and shovel-nosed sharks, many species of stingrays, and even eels. Stay one more night on this remote island before adventuring elsewhere tomorrow. 

Begin the day early with a boat ride to the Lady Musgrave Island, another gorgeous destination with amazing dive spots. Visit the Manta Ray Bommie with sponges and soft corals as well as butterflyfish and parrotfish. It’s an area known as a “cleaning station” for manta rays, which makes it a great time to capture these giant, mesmerizing creatures if you have not spotted one yet. After putting away your flippers and underwater camera for the last time, make your way back to the mainland. If you have the extra time, explore the city and make your last meal a good one. 

Since you spent most of your time underwater, get any last minute pictures of the landscape and ocean before boarding your flight for home.