The Coral Greenhouse is the world's largest underwater art structure, part of the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) at John Brewer Reef, 60 km off the coast of Townsville. Designed by Jason deCaires Taylor, this monumental greenhouse-shaped sculpture sits in 12-18 metres of water amidst the vibrant coral gardens of the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkelers can explore the shallower sections (4-6 m) while the structure's intricate lattice walls, suspended pod seats, and human figures blend art with marine ecology. The site is a living canvas where corals naturally colonise the artwork, offering a surreal fusion of human creativity and reef biodiversity.
Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) - Coral Greenhouse
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Wave Height 0.1 mSwell Period 4.5 sWind Speed 8.1 knPrecipitation 0.8 mmTidal Phase flood
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Moderate risk: Marine stingers (box jellyfish)
Marine stingers (box jellyfish and Irukandji) are present in tropical Queensland waters during the warmer months.
Low risk: Offshore wind and swell
The site is over 60 km offshore, so strong winds can create choppy sea conditions and boat access may be cancelled.
Low risk: Depth variation for snorkelers
The deeper sections of the Coral Greenhouse (12-18 m) are more suited to divers; snorkelers should stay in the shallower 4-6 m zones.
Low risk: Boat traffic around moorings
Boats operate in a designated channel; be aware of other tour vessels accessing the reef moorings.
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Getting in
Snorkel tour
Entry
John Brewer Reef is located approximately 60 km east of Townsville, Queensland. Access is via commercial snorkel/dive tour operators that depart from the Townsville Breakwater Marina. The tour boat ride takes about 1.5 hours. The Coral Greenhouse is the main sculpture at the MOUA site on the reef.
Parking & facilities
Paid parking available at the Breakwater Marina precinct in Townsville.
toilets
The underwater sculptures are public art free to access, but you must book a spot on a commercial tour boat to reach the reef. Tour prices vary by operator.
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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