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Milln Reef - The Whale

Milne Reef, a premier dive and snorkel destination near Cairns, Australia, offers remarkable visibility for even the most seasoned divers. With its stunning shallow coral gardens, swim-throughs, and guaranteed turtle encounters, this site is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Divers will have the opportunity to spot a variety of marine species at Milne Reef, such as Rock Cod, red bass, and chevron barracuda. Additionally, vibrant orange, purple, and pink anthias can be seen, along with bright red tomato clownfish and baby royal blue tangs hiding among the staghorn coral. Keep an eye out for the graceful reef sharks patrolling the area.

At night, Milne Reef transforms into a bustling underwater world. Witness the mesmerizing sight of lionfish and hunting red bass, as well as intriguing cryptic shrimp, crustaceans, cuttlefish, and squid. Parrotfish create their distinctive sleep bubbles, while snoozing turtles seek refuge in reef crevices, all while curious sharks elegantly glide by. As one of Cairns's premier dive sites, Milne Reef promises unforgettable underwater adventures.

While sailing to Milne Reef, be on the lookout for playful dolphins and majestic breaching whales. The visibility at this location is approximately 15 meters, making it ideal for beginners with a maximum depth of 15 meters.

Diving Conditions Score for Milln Reef - The Whale

7
Good

Good diving conditions!
The score is based on a calculation of the current weather and sea conditions.

Dive Site Overview for Milln Reef - The Whale

Depth

15m

Visibility

15m

Experience Level

beginner

Weather Conditions for Milln Reef - The Whale

Wave Height

1.34m

Wind Speed

35.8 m/s

Water Temp

24.8°C

Visibility

28.52km

Cloud Cover

14%

Wave Period

5.6s

Air Temperature

24.2°C

Precipitation

0.3 mm

Detailed 7-Day Diving Forecast for Milln Reef - The Whale
Alpha

Dive Score Chart for Milln Reef - The Whale

Best time to dive: 7:00 with score 6.842266666666666/10. Water conditions: Waves 1.3m, Wind 33.6 m/s.Best night dive time: 0:00 with score 6.617399999999999/10.

Chart showing hourly dive conditions including wave height, wind speed, water temperature, and visibility throughout the day.

Sunrise at Milln Reef - The Whale: 06:00
Sunset at Milln Reef - The Whale: 18:00

Optimal diving conditions at Milln Reef - The Whale are affected by daylight hours. Sunrise occurs at 06:00 and sunset at 18:00, which impacts visibility and water temperature for scuba diving and snorkeling.

🌞
Best Overall
7:00

Score: 6.8/10
Waves: 1.3m (5.5s), Wind: 33.6 m/s

🌙
Best Night
0:00

Score: 6.6/10
Waves: 1.1m, Wind: 28 m/s

Seasonal Analysis for Milln Reef - The Whale
Alpha

Historical patterns and best seasons for diving at Milln Reef - The Whale

The dive score combines all factors to rate overall diving conditions throughout the year. Higher scores indicate better diving conditions.

Monthly Dive Score Analysis - Seasonal Diving Conditions

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Seasonal DiveScore Chart

This chart displays monthly diveScore data throughout the year, showing seasonal patterns. The data is presented as a bar chart with an overlaid line graph.Dive scores range from 1 to 10, with 10 being optimal conditions.

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Best Season for Milln Reef - The Whale

Summer

Avg. Score: 9.3/10

Summer offers the warmest water temperatures and generally favorable conditions for all levels of divers.

Best Months for Milln Reef - The Whale

June
Score: 9.4
May
Score: 9.2
July
Score: 9.2

Ideal Conditions for Milln Reef - The Whale

Water Temp

Thermometer Emoji

26.1°C / 79.0°F

April

Visibility

Telescope Emoji

12.0m / 39.4ft

September

Wave Height

Wave Emoji

2.4m / 7.9ft

November

Wave Period

Wave Emoji

8.0s

January

Seasonal Insights for Milln Reef - The Whale

Milln Reef - The Whale follows southern hemisphere patterns with April being the warmest month (26.1°C) and July the coldest (21.7°C). The calmest conditions typically occur in November with average wave heights of 2.4m and wave periods of 8.0s. The most comfortable wave conditions are in November with a low wave steepness ratio, creating gentler swells. January offers the longest wave periods (8.0s), creating more comfortable and predictable conditions for boat entries and exits. Ocean currents are slowest in January (0.5m/s) and strongest in January (0.5m/s). September is usually the driest month with 0.0mm of precipitation. For beginners, the best time to visit would be during November to January, when ocean conditions are calmer with long-period waves and currents are typically weaker. Experienced divers might enjoy the challenges and potentially better visibility during the shoulder seasons, with moderate currents that can improve marine life encounters.

Scoring Legend:
9-10 (Excellent)
7-8 (Good)
5-6 (Average)
3-4 (Poor)
1-2 (Dangerous)

Last updated: 1 min. ago - Jun 21, 2026

Note: This dive site is not a verified dive site. Please dive with caution. This dive site might have incorrect information by the community.

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