Norman Reef (Turtle Bay)
Norman Reef is on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns and is the northernmost reef visited by Cairns day boats; Divers Den lists Turtle Bay, Troppo's, Sandra's, Caves, Plate Top, Playground, Shark Mountain and Wild Side among its sites. The reef is known for clear water and coral canyons, with reef sharks, anemonefish, cuttlefish and coral trout. Dives are about 10 to 20 m, with deeper walls at Caves and Plate Top for advanced divers. The position is an operator-logged point for Turtle Bay and is approximate. Located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: Green (no-take) zones allow diving without a permit, but fishing and collecting are prohibited; tourism operators hold the park permits and the environmental management charge is passed on through the operator. Check the current zoning map before any non-operator visit.
Facts
- Region: Great Barrier Reef North
- Area: Cairns Outer Reef
- Depth: 10–20 m
- Level: beginner
- Current: low
- Type: reef, wall
- Coordinates: -16.4276, 145.9897 (approximate)
- Highlights: coral canyons, reef sharks, cuttlefish, swim-throughs
- Unverified: Coordinates come from operator-logged survey points surfaced by a search; the source pages could not be opened. Depth range from a tourism listing snippet.
- Tips: Day trips from Cairns; the deeper sites (Caves, Plate Top) suit more advanced divers.