Water Sports in Queensland

Learn to scuba dive in one of the world's top locations for underwater wonders: Cairns, Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. Your professional and friendly instructors lead a 4-day PADI Open Water dive course for your small group limited to eight people. You'll gradually learn the skills you need to scuba dive and earn the internationally recognized PADI certification. Practice basic scuba skills in the classroom, a swimming pool, and on confined water dives, then discover the Great Barrier Reef on open-water dives. Hotel transfers are included each day.

Just south of the Sunshine Coast is Bribie Island National Park, a quieter, unsullied remedy to the resorts and beach crowds upstate. Drift across the crystal-clear Pumicestone Passage and explore Bribie Island's beaches and lagoons on this short paddleboard hire. Launch from nearby Golden Beach and paddle around Bribie Island at your own pace.

Experience the exhilaration of travelling at super-fast speeds during a 45-minute jet boat ride on the Gold Coast from Surfers Paradise. Climb aboard a state-of-the-art jet boat and roar across the Pacific Ocean at high velocity. Marvel at the skill of your skipper as 360-degree turns and jolting stops are performed. Dive over breaking waves while enjoying stunning views of Surfers Paradise and scouring the sea for sightings of dolphins and whales.

Take a stand-up paddleboard lesson (SUP) on the Brisbane River, a great place to try this popular water sport. Your experienced instructor teaches proper paddling technique, how to maneuver your board and tips for staying steady on the water. Enjoy a customized lesson with your guide during the 90-minute lesson, which is suitable for all levels of experience and includes use of the equipment.

Paddle your way to Australia's easternmost point on this 3-hour sea kayaking adventure from Byron Bay, including hotel pick-up. After learning to steer your tandem kayak, set out from Clarkes Beach and enjoy waterside views of landmarks like the Byron Bay lighthouse, the Julian Rocks, Wategos millionaire row and Cape Byron. Keep a look out for dolphins, sea turtles and whales as you cruise around the bay, then cool off with a swim before heading back to shore.

See the best of Cairns with a two-day package that provides the ultimate reef and rainforest experience. First, explore the town of Kuranda, traveling via the Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Then discover the aquatic wonders of the Great Barrier Reef on a 5-hour ocean cruise with stops for snorkeling and scubadiving. Return to Cairns by helicopter, taking a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef. Have the option to add on admission to Rainforestation in Kuranda to learn about Aboriginal culture and Australian wildlife.

Airlie Beach is a popular basecamp for visiting the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, but there are plenty of opportunities for adventure activities without leaving town. This 30-minute jet boat ride will get your adrenaline soaring, as you zoom past the glitzy marina; perform daring turns, drifts and power stops; and enjoy magnificent views of the Whitsundays as you cruise around Pioneer Bay.

Save money and explore the waters of Pumicestone Passage and Bribie Island National Park at your leisure with this single or double kayak rental, which is far less expensive than a guided tour. The park is full of beaches and lagoons, and a great place to spot stingrays, sea birds, and kangaroos. Your kayak, paddles, and lifejacket come with a safety briefing and instructions for first-timers.

Kayak along the Brisbane River on a Friday night on an evening kayak tour with the option to include a prawn dinner. Learn the basics of paddling from your experienced guide, then enjoy a waterside perspective on landmarks such as the Story Bridge  or South Bank Parklands. See the multicolored displays that light up the Story Bridge at night or take in the evening lighting of South Bank. All levels of experience are welcome on this tour, which provides a fun and fascinating firsthand experience of Brisbane’s vital waterway.

Visit the outer Great Barrier Reef in luxury and style on a full-day cruise aboard a custom-designed vessel. Travel from Port Douglas to Agincourt or Opal Reef for snorkeling opportunities at three superb sites, and the option to do an introductory scuba dive - no experience required. Certified diving is available for advanced divers. Includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea, hotel transfers, use of snorkel equipment, and guide.

Discover the Brisbane River either by day or night on a 90-minute kayak tour. Enjoy a water perspective on the Story Bridge or the South Bank Parklands after learning the basics of paddling from your expert guide. If you choose the night tour, you’ll hop into illuminated kayaks and enjoy the multicolored displays on the Story Bridge or glide past the evening lights of South Bank. This kayak tour is suitable for all levels of experience and provides a fantastic look at the city’s vital waterway.

Satisfy your appetite for adventure during a 90-minute jet ski tour of Moreton Bay Marine Park from Caloundra. Take control of a powerful jet ski, either alone or with a companion, and follow your expert guide through atmospheric mangroves to spectacular volcanic landscapes and areas of dense tropical jungle. Scour the scenery for sightings of dolphins, turtles and dugongs and pose as a professional photographer captures your adventurous experience on camera.

Kayak alongside a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins in beautiful Byron Bay! Led by expert guides, this sea kayak adventure takes you through the calm waters of Cape Byron Marine Park. Learn about the protected aquatic environment along the way, see Cape Byron lighthouse and refresh with a tea and Tim Tam biscuit break on the beach. All equipment is provided, and no kayaking experience is necessary.

Combine two popular Gold Coast attractions for a fun-filled experience that can be conducted in one day or two. Take a thrilling 55-minute jetboat ride that zips around the waters of the Gold Coast, then use the provided admission ticket to enter the Sea World theme park, which features animal exhibits, rides, and shows.

Explore the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef on a full-day tour to Fitzroy Island. After arriving from Cairns on a fast ferry, have free time to do what you choose: snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, lounge on the white-sand beach or see the coral from a glass-bottom boat. Upgrade to add the Activity Pass, which provides a picnic lunch, snorkeling gear, stinger suit, a glass-bottom boat tour, the use of stand-up paddle boards, paddle skis and a floating trampoline.

Set sail for a scenic cruise around the Noosa Everglades on this full-day tour, including hotel pick-up from Noosa Heads or Noosaville. Zip down the Noosa River on a motorboat, then spot some of Australia's most vibrant birds as you drift around the Cooroibah and Cootharaba lakes. Hop on a canoe and paddle your way along the River of Mirrors in the Great Sandy National Park. After tuck, into a roast lunch with  stunning views of Lake Cootharaba.

Tackle the grade II and III rapids of the Barron River on this adrenaline-pumping half-day tour from Cairns or Port Douglas. Prepare to get wet and wild as you hurtle over the rapids, then float downstream past the jagged cliffs, plunging ravines and lush rainforest of the Barron Gorge National Park. Best of all: with gentle rapids and full instruction provided, this tour is suitable for all levels, including complete beginners.

Explore beautiful Fitzroy Island by kayaking, snorkeling and other means during a full-day tour that includes both guided tours and free time to do as you please. Leave Cairns early to enjoy a morning kayak and snorkel tour around Fitzroy Island’s pristine coral reef. Have the afternoon at your leisure for more snorkeling and beach time, a walk in the rainforest or other island activities before returning to Cairns in the late afternoon.

Choose your own adventure on an overnight trip to Moreton Island from Brisbane. Cruise over to the paradise island on a luxury ferry, and spend the day scuba diving, sea kayaking, snorkeling among shipwrecks, or practicing your balance on a stand-up paddle board. If you prefer more low-key activities, you can relax on the beach beneath an umbrella, get a massage, or explore the reefs without getting wet on a glass-bottom boat tour. Stay overnight in a shared room at the Tangalooma Island Resort.

Step aboard the AquaQuest, a luxury dive and snorkel vessel, for an 8-hour cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Visit dive sites such as St. Crispin's Reefs, Opal, and Agincourt. Comfortable seating area, freshwater showers, and Nitrox available on board the boat. Lunch and snacks provided, all snorkel equipment (including wet suits) provided.