Home > Destinations > Australia Yacht Charters (Great Barrier Reef)

Australia, a diverse country, is home to diverse ecological terrain on land and sea, with an underwater world as interesting and exceptional as the wildlife, flora and fauna on the many islands and cays in the cruising areas. Explore the rivers and inlets around the international city of Sydney, while you enjoy all the aspects of this multi-cultural city, or cruise one of the world’s natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef, including the Whitsunday Islands.

As the only living organic collective visible from Earth's orbit, the Great Barrier Reef has been named one of the world's natural wonders. Declared a World Heritage area in 1981, it’s unique and beautiful environment is breathtaking. One of the world's largest coral reef systems, the Great Barrier Reef is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 1,616 miles over an area of 132,974 square miles. The reef is located off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia and is easily reachable by a flight into Sydney and then on to several Queensland port towns where your charter yacht will be ready and waiting to board for your adventure.

Within the Great Barrier Reef, a week or more could be spent just cruising the Whitsunday Islands, a series of 74 islands surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef, and located in the crystal clear waters of the Coral Sea. With beautiful clean anchorages and many long sandy beaches, this fabulous cruising area offers snorkeling, diving, onshore hiking and exploring in areas reachable only by your private yacht. Often compared to the British Virgin Islands, the Whitsundays are in close proximity to one another. They are surrounded by coral and marine life in multi-hued clear blue waters - they offer miles of protected comfortable cruising and numerous anchorages. This is the land where flocks of parrots and cockatiels fly wild over the heads of kangaroos jumping through the brush.

Exploration through snorkeling, diving, and hiking fill the area with adventure and excitement. Picnic on your own sandy cay, snorkel or dive in miles of an enchanting underwater world of coral and tropical marine life. Relaxation and restoration are easily achieved with the help of enchanting sunsets and pristine sights.

Allow us to custom tailor your luxury, crewed Australia yacht charter. Our knowledge of Australian charter yachts, crews, destinations and cruising itineraries is unmatched! We personally inspect each yacht, meet the captains, sample the chefs' cuisine and evaluate the service offered by each yacht crew.

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Sample Australia Yacht Charter - Great Barrier Reef (7 Days)

Fly into Cairns to meet your charter yacht. After settling in set sail past the mouth of the Daintree River and enjoy spectacular views of the adjacent World Heritage rainforest. At the end of the day, relax with a cocktail while enjoying a magnificent sunset behind the Alexander Range.

View from the Alexander Range

Head off to the outer reef to spend the day snorkeling or diving among the profusion of corals and colorful reef fish. Back aboard your luxury charter yacht, enjoy a barbeque dinner of freshly caught lobster or delicious reef fish served with fresh salads and fine Australian wines.

Diving on the Great Barrier Reef

After breakfast cruise north along the Ribbon Reefs. Island hop along the inner reef islands, which provide a chance to stroll beautiful beaches at sunset.

Spend another day sailing along the Ribbon Reefs as you explore the outer reefs. This is the day to spend hours diving.

Take a cruise to the “Jewel of the Reef,” Lizard Island. Walk to the same lookout used by Captain James Cook, who discovered Australia. Lizard Island has spectacular “clam gardens” – coral gardens full of amazing colored giant clams, some three feet in width.

Lizard Island Giant Clam

Diving with Huge Potato Cod

No visit to the Ribbon Reefs and Lizard Island would be complete without a snorkel or dive at the Cod Hole. World famous potato cod, weighing up to 1000 pounds, gather in this area and can be hand fed. You’ll not soon forget this incredible experience of swimming among these huge, gentle creatures.

Enjoy another day of diving, snorkeling, swimming, or hiking ashore at Lizard Island.

Lizard Island Rainforest

Disembark your charter yacht at Lizard Island for a flight back to Cairns. Alternatively, extend the cruise to the Whitsundays, making a stop at Hayman Island Resort.