Scuba diving sites along the Great Barrier Reef are visited frequently, and good technique on the part of divers is important to prevent inadvertent damage to coral. The cumulative effects of many small incidents at the best scuba diving locations can lead to overall degradation of reefs and the quality of the scuba diving or snorkelling experience. The most common causes of coral damage are: snagging by divers' spare regulators and instrument consoles; damage caused when scuba divers pull themselves along by grasping coral; crash landings due to being improperly weighted and poor buoyancy control; damage caused by fins; collisions with coral by underwater photographers intent on what's in front of the viewfinder rather than what's going on behind it.

• Keeping spare regulators and instruments close to the body by making sure that these are tucked into the buoyancy compensator (BC)
• Maintaining neutral buoyancy by using the correct amount of weight and by inflating the BC on the way down
• Not using coral for support
• Watching the fins, avoiding downwards kicks when near the bottom, which may break coral or stir up sediments that can choke delicate organisms
• Not feeding fish things, such as pasta, that aren't part of their naturally-occuring diet; and
• Being mindful, when taking pictures, of what's going on at your end of the camera.

For anyone short on time... booking a day trip to dive the Outer Great Barrier Reef... a coastal wreck or ocean dive site is the obvious choice.

Along Queensland coast many scuba diving trips are offered - the type of trip you take and the locations you visit will often depend on your choice of vessel.

The sleeker and faster the vessel the greater the distance they can cover - enabling some to comfortably make the Outer Reef and back in a day.

It will also depend where you want to take your trip... In the Whitsundays the Outer Reef is 40 km off the coast... at Cairns its only 10-15 km... There are also a number of scuba diving resorts along the Queensland coast.

Some operators use their vessel as the diving platform tying up to a mooring ( a permanent location decided by Marine Parks so that anchors are not used)... while others connect to large reef pontoons/platforms permanently anchored off the reefs outer edge... This is a common practice in the Whitsunday region with two operators providing Whitsunday Islands day trips on the Great Barrier Reef for scuba divers.

Generally the vessels servicing the permanent pontoons carry more people and offer you a much wider choice of reef activities suiting the non-swimmer and swimmer alike... Other day trips are better suited to the more experienced diver and more confident snorkeller... while other boats - often referred to as 'dedicated' dive boats look after the more advanced scuba divers.

Most boats will depart the marina by 8.00am and return about 5.00 pm giving you about 9 hours on the water. You need to check to see what meals are included, and if you plan on diving, what diving kit is included in your price... Some operators include only basic equipment, while others supply the lot. Some dive packages give you 1,2 or 3 dives, while others will charge.

Extras can also include an 'introductory' scuba dive or glass-bottom boat ride... so when you browse these pages looking for the trip you want to take, make sure you do your homework... and crosscheck what you need against what is offered.

All trips we list, have been taken many times... and as an online travel agency selling travel in Australia they are offered to you as the best available.

First impressions mean a lot. Does the business appear organised and professionally staffed? Does it prominently display membership of Dive Queensland Inc., Queensland Charter Vessel Association and a dive affiliation such as NAUI, PADI, SSI, etc.? These are good indications that the operation adheres to high standards.

When you come to dive, a well-run Australian scuba diving business will always have paperwork for you to fill out. At the least, someone should look at your certification card and ask when you last dived. If they want to see your logbook or check basic skills in the water, even better. A good dive operator will always take the time to go over the dive plan, emergency procedures and give you a thorough briefing of dive site conditions and features.

Equipment you are renting should be well rinsed and stored. If you see sand or salt crystals, watch out. Before starting on your dive, inspect your scuba diving equipment thoroughly.

Check the hoses for wear, see that mouthpieces are secure and make sure there is a depth gauge, air pressure gauge and octopus, as required by law in Queensland.

After gearing up and turning on your air, listen for air leaks. Now test your Buoyancy Compensator (BC)... push the power inflator to make sure it functions correctly (and doesn't free flow); if it fails, get another BC - don't try to inflate it manually; make sure the BC holds air and the auto-overpressure valve functions well. Then purge your regulator a bit and smell the air. It should be odourless. If you detect an oily or otherwise bad odour, try a different tank, then start searching for another operator. In Australia equipment and breathing air must pass regular inspections.