John Brewer Reef is a stunning offshore reef on the Great Barrier Reef, home to the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) — Australia's first underwater museum. Snorkellers can explore the iconic Coral Greenhouse (a submerged architectural installation by Jason deCaires Taylor) and the Ocean Sentinels snorkel trail, a series of life-sized bronze sculptures of renowned marine scientists. The reef itself boasts vibrant Acropora, staghorn and plate corals teeming with butterflyfish, batfish, damsels and other colourful reef fish, all set in clear tropical waters about 60 km off Townsville.
John Brewer Reef (Museum of Underwater Art)
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Wave Height 0.2 mSwell Period 2.8 sWind Speed 8.3 knPrecipitation 2.5 mmTidal Phase flood
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Moderate risk: Marine stingers
Stinger season (marine stingers including box jellyfish) is prevalent in tropical Queensland waters during the warmer months.
Low risk: Outer reef currents
Strong currents can occur on the outer reef edge, especially during changing tides. Snorkellers should stay within the marked art trail areas.
Low risk: Boat traffic
Boat traffic from tour operators accessing the reef and moorings. Be aware of vessel movements near the snorkel trail.
Low risk: Open ocean swell
Exposed to open ocean swell and wind conditions. Rough seas can reduce visibility and make snorkelling challenging.
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Getting in
Snorkel tour
Entry
Tours depart from Breakwater Marina in Townsville (Fuel Wharf, Mariners Drive) or from Nelly Bay on Magnetic Island. The reef lies about 60 km northeast of Townsville in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Parking & facilities
Plentiful parking around The Strand and the Breakwater Marina precinct in Townsville. For Magnetic Island, park at the ferry terminal or use local transport to Nelly Bay marina. Day trips via tour operators are the standard access method — the reef is inaccessible except by boat from Townsville.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports