Hastings Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is home to an extraordinary assortment of wonders. Home to thousands of individual reefs and islands stretched out over the sapphire waters.

Hastings Reef is one of the top-visited reefs for many visiting the Great Barrier Reef, seen as a flourishing spot bursting with wildlife.

About Hastings Reef

Stretching out 10 square kilometres, this reef contains a spectacular collection of coral. The coral ranges in variety, including fire, plate, pillar, to even the sought-out brain varieties. Due to the variety in coral, the wildlife assortment is vast, with small and large fish roaming the area, as well as some unique creatures found about.

The Wildlife within the Reef

Hastings Reef is buzzing with marine life, with huge schools of tiny fish, giant clams, and the beloved sea turtles. The most common fish species found here are the Butterflyfish and the Angelfish. Both known for their bright colours and stunning beauty. If you head down to the reef’s floor, you can see the giant clams that are scattered about. Ranging in colours, these massive creatures look similar to large shells, so you have to look carefully to find them. Large creatures such as turtles and sharks also crowd the waters, majestically cruising above the coral and sweeping the sandy floor. The sharks found here are no threat to humans, none as reef sharks, and look like miniature sharks in size.

Snorkelling

Snorkelling on the ocean’s surface is one of the easiest ways to see the flurry of colour at Hastings Reef. It is an easy activity for any kind of traveller, with visitors simply needing a pair of flippers, goggles, and a breathing rod. Here you can dive down to have a closer look at the coral and fish, or simply hang out on the surface and peer down below at this unique underwater world.

Scuba Diving

Take a thirty-minute trip to this truly unforgettable world of the Great Barrier Reef, and wack on a scuba diving kit. Here, you don’t have to worry about travelling to the surface to breathe, as you can hang out on the reef’s bottom, discovering things you might have missed if you were simply snorkelling. Scuba diving is so easy, even those with limited swimming skills can try it out, as visitors can simply drift with the current and float about the fishes and coral.