THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Advance your diving skills with this immersive two-day course on Fitzroy Island, featuring five dives and specialty electives like Deep Dive and Fish ID. Master underwater techniques while surrounded by vibrant marine life and pristine coral reefs.
Advance your diving skills with this immersive two-day course on Fitzroy Island, featuring five dives and specialty electives like Deep Dive and Fish ID. Master underwater techniques while surrounded by vibrant marine life and pristine coral reefs.
Book with Octopus Dive
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Octopus Dive · Cairns, Queensland
Situated just off the coast of Queensland, Fitzroy Island offers a diverse underwater playground for divers looking to advance their skills. The Advanced Open Water Diver Course presents a perfect blend of thrilling and educational dives over two days, designed to boost confidence and expertise beneath the waves. This immersive course comprises five specialty dives, including a challenging Deep Dive and Underwater Navigation, enabling divers to master essential techniques in one of Australia’s vibrant marine environments. Fitzroy Island itself is a lush, volcanic island surrounded by clear waters and thriving coral reefs, hosting a kaleidoscope of marine life including colorful reef fish, sea turtles, and intricate coral formations. Among the optional electives, participants can choose specialties like Altitude Diving or Fish Identification, tailoring the experience to their interests. The course’s structure allows divers to expand their abilities up to depths of 30 meters, exploring secluded reef sites only accessible with advanced certification. Operated by dedicated instructors who prioritize safety and personalized guidance, this course stands out for its emphasis on real-world dive skills and environmental awareness. Fitzroy Island’s combination of rainforest trails above water and extraordinary underwater scenery below makes it a standout destination for divers at all experience levels. Beyond the course, visitors can enjoy snorkeling in crystal-clear lagoons or hiking to panoramic viewpoints, rounding out an unforgettable adventure. This program is widely regarded as a gateway to more technical and exotic dives, cementing its reputation within the local outdoor recreation scene as a must-do for divers seeking to deepen their connection to the Coral Sea’s riches.
moderate.
2 days.
Participants should have basic swimming skills and moderate physical fitness to handle multiple dives and some hiking on the island.
Divers must have a Basic Open Water certification and be comfortable swimming in open water.
The course includes dives up to 30 meters deep, aligned with Advanced Open Water standards.
Yes, quality rental gear is provided, though bringing your own mask and snorkel is recommended.
A minimum of Basic Open Water certification and some diving experience are required.
Expect vibrant coral reefs, tropical fish, sea turtles, and occasionally reef sharks.
The course operates year-round, with water temperatures and conditions most favorable from spring to fall.
Fitzroy Island was named after the third Governor of New South Wales and became a national park in 1936, preserving its unique ecosystems.
Dive operators actively promote coral-safe practices and limit group sizes to minimize environmental impact on delicate reefs.
Octopus Dive is a dive operator based on Fitzroy Island, Queensland, offering guided dives, certification courses and introductory experiences for divers and non-divers. Located on Fitzroy Island, the operator runs trips that include certified guided dives from a glass-bottom boat, Discover Scuba sessions (pool-only and ocean dives), and PADI certification courses such as the Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver courses. The Open Water Diver Course is offered as a three-day PADI certification with eLearning and practical dives in small groups. Participants complete confined and open-water training dives, gain skills to dive to 18 meters, and can enjoy on-island leisure activities such as snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. The Advanced Open Water Diver Course is a two-day program with five dives, including a Deep Dive and Underwater Navigation; electives include Altitude Diving and Fish ID, and certified students can progress to 30-meter depths on completion. Discover Scuba options include a pool-only session designed to teach basic breathing and buoyancy, and an ocean dive that begins with a briefing, equipment preparation, beach skill practice and a 30-minute shallow reef swim. Certified Divers trips depart from a glass-bottom boat and combine guided reef dives with free time for kayaking, snorkeling or hiking. Many trips include a 45-minute ferry transfer from Cairns. Octopus Dive emphasizes practical training, small-group instruction and clear briefings to build diver confidence. All activities take place on Fitzroy Island’s reefs and beaches, making the operator a convenient choice for accessible reef diving near Cairns. Booking is available online.
Book with Octopus Dive