Diving the Great Barrier Reef is a bucket-list item for many divers and working-holiday backpackers in Australia. If you've dived in Australia or done any research online, you already know that getting a glimpse of the Great Barrier Reef doesn't come cheap — a day trip runs around AU$200, and longer liveaboards can cost hundreds, or even thousands, of Australian dollars! For budget-conscious travellers, that kind of expense can feel pretty heavy. Today I'm sharing two dive companies in Cairns that let you trade labour for dives — volunteer on board and explore the Great Barrier Reef for almost nothing!
DIVERS DEN
Address: 319 Draper St, Parramatta Park QLD 4870
How to apply: Walk in after 10 a.m. to enquire in person
Required cost: AU$35 (one work shirt)
Divers Den dive shop
Working in Australia
If you've read my previous two articles, you probably know I'm currently working at this dive shop! DIVERS DEN operates three vessels out of Cairns, offering both day trips and liveaboards — and all of these boats need volunteers! To apply, you must walk in after 10 a.m. (phone enquiries are not accepted — please show up in person after 10 a.m., because before that the shop is busy with guests heading out that day). Tell the front desk which dates you'd like to volunteer; spots fill up sometimes, so don't be discouraged — just try a different date! After filling in your details at the shop, you'll need to purchase one volunteer T-shirt, which must be worn while working on board — AU$35 a piece. One volunteer told me he's used that same shirt for seven volunteer stints, five of which were on liveaboards.
A Day in the Life of a Liveaboard Volunteer
First-time volunteers are usually assigned to a day-trip vessel. Main tasks include helping crew prepare sandwiches, washing dishes, and cleaning up after the trip. Chatting with several volunteers, they all agreed it was a great deal — just two to three hours of actual work in exchange for a dive. The number of dives you get depends on how efficiently you work, but day-trip volunteers typically get at least one to two dives. Non-divers are welcome to apply too — snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef is a fantastic experience in its own right! If you perform well and have enough time in Cairns, you can apply to volunteer on a liveaboard vessel. The number of nights you spend aboard depends on how your schedule lines up with the departure calendar. Liveaboards involve a bit more work, but you'll get more dives per day.
MIKE BALL DIVE EXPEDITIONS
Address: 3 Abbott St, Cairns City QLD 4870
How to apply: Online application form opens during the first week of each month
Required cost: AU$50 (two work shirts); AU$175 (equipment rental — waived if you bring a full set of your own gear)
Mike Ball Dive Expeditions (hereafter Mike Ball) has been rated by PADI Travel as the best mid-range liveaboard on the Great Barrier Reef. A seven-night trip is listed at over AU$3,800 per person on their website. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to volunteer on board — and it turned out to be the best dive I've had since coming to Australia! The majority of this article will focus on that experience.
To become a Mike Ball volunteer, simply fill out the application form on their website. The first week of each month is the application window, and because spots are highly competitive, you'll need to apply three months in advance. The website explains everything in detail, including daily duties. Each volunteer must commit to one full week; only two volunteer spots are available per sailing — one Domestic volunteer who acts as the head chef's assistant (helping prepare meals and handling housekeeping), and one Dive Deck volunteer who helps in the equipment area (this role requires a Divemaster or higher certification and mandatory dive insurance).
I also want to address a question many people ask me: does your English need to be great? Mike Ball's website is actually very clear on this — they need volunteers who can communicate comfortably with crew and guests. If you feel your English isn't perfect but you can still get your point across, go ahead and try — have some confidence! That said, if communication is truly a barrier, it will be quite tough.
Once you've submitted your application and are fortunate enough to receive a notification, reply to confirm your spot and send another confirmation email one week before departure. (I confirmed two weeks out and was told it was too early — follow their instructions to the letter!) Before departure, you'll receive an email with the itinerary and check-in details. Check-in takes place at the Mike Ball office; after completing paperwork at around 11 a.m., you simply wait to board at 3 p.m.
I chose the Domestic volunteer role and averaged about three dives per day. The crew never exploited us or piled on extra work just because we were volunteers — quite the opposite. They kindly explained our main duties and proactively asked whether we had a nitrox certification, offering volunteers free nitrox tanks! (If you hold a Solo Diver certification, you can also request a pony bottle.) Once the work was done, the crew would simply ask if we wanted to go diving.
My cosy little cabin for the week
My main tasks during the week were cutting fruit for guests, vacuuming the vessel, and helping the head chef prepare meals. I spent every waking moment shadowing the chef, experiencing what it's like to cook on a liveaboard — and I never went hungry for a single moment. My fellow volunteer was an Australian Divemaster whose duties in the equipment area included preparing towels for divers, slicing oranges for divers returning to the boat, and occasionally filling tanks and acting as a lookout.
The two volunteers are usually paired together as dive buddies, though sometimes we'd join guests for a dive (in Australia, a dive guide is not standard). On one particular dive, the First Mate asked if we wanted to see pygmy seahorses. We entered the water and the instructor led us somewhere completely different from what was briefed — we went deeper and deeper until we stopped at around 32 metres, in front of a small gorgonian, where he pointed out two pygmy seahorses side by side. He then guided us back toward the shallows, weaving through the reef formations as groups of Sweetlips glided leisurely past us. Visibility was at least 25 to 30 metres. Even though we didn't encounter any big, dramatic creatures, it was hands-down my favourite dive since arriving in Australia!
A handwritten schedule posted every day
During my volunteer week, there were two Party Nights. On those evenings, the First Mate handled the "BBQ," the captain played guitar and sang, and the dive supervisor got everyone up dancing — absolutely great fun.
The First Mate — eating and grilling at the same time
On the left is the Divemaster who volunteered alongside me — the entire crew was wonderfully quirky
The vessel hosts two lectures per week — one on fish identification and one on coral — covering much the same ground as the Reef Teach sessions in Cairns city. Just let the supervisor know and you're welcome to sit in. There are also additional courses available on board, including underwater photography, nitrox, and solo diving, among others. If staffing allows, volunteers can join in too! (Additional fees apply.)
Divers listening attentively to a lecture
Postscript: When I wrote my previous article I was still a Divemaster — I've since begun working in Cairns as a dive instructor! Every instructor at my company highly recommends Mike Ball, and now that I've experienced it myself, I wholeheartedly agree (seasickness aside, it was an incredibly rewarding week). If you're spending an extended time in Cairns or planning to visit, this liveaboard is absolutely worth considering. If your English is up to it, sign up as a volunteer — in fact, I might just apply again before I leave Cairns!
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