Great Adventures

What Great Adventures does

Great Adventures is a privately held marine tourism operator headquartered at the Reef Fleet Terminal in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The company runs daily tours from Cairns to two destinations in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area: Green Island (the reef's only coral cay with rainforest, approximately 45 minutes by ferry) and the Outer Great Barrier Reef via a permanently moored activity platform at Norman/Moore Reefs. Three high-speed catamarans (Reef Spirit 24m, Reef King 30m, Reef Adventure 33m) provide transport capacity, with multi-daily departures. The product architecture is modular: three core tour packages (Great Barrier Reef Adventure at AUD $312 adult, Green Island Tours ranging from $112-$156 adult, and a combined Island & Reef Combo at $343 adult) are sold with an extensive menu of add-on activities including certified and introductory scuba diving, Seawalker helmet diving, semi-submersible tours, an underwater observatory, glass-bottom boat, scenic helicopter flights, parasailing, and Australia's only Scuba Doo underwater scooter experience.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with bookings flowing through the company's website (powered by the Respax reservation platform), phone reservations, in-person at the Reef Fleet Terminal, and travel agent channels. Customer segments include families with children, school groups (subsidized via the Queensland Government Education Experience Program), non-swimmers, certified divers, and international tourists served through Japanese, Chinese, German, Italian, and Korean multilingual staff. Pricing is in Australian dollars inclusive of GST, with an AUD $8.50 Environmental Management Charge per person and a fuel surcharge on Outer Reef cruises.

The company was established in 1988 following transfer of ownership from the Hales family, whose ferry operations to Green Island date to 1924 (and to Magnetic Island from 1890). Great Adventures was acquired by Quicksilver Group in 2005 and operates alongside sister brands including Quicksilver Cruises, Wavedancer Low Isles, Ocean Spirit Cruises, Pro Dive Cairns, and Poseidon Cruises. Key certifications include Advanced Ecotourism Certification held for 20+ consecutive years (Hall of Fame inductee 2021), Climate Action Business Certification, and High Standard Operator designation from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Recent strategic activity has centered on the 2018 acquisition of the Seawalker Green Island business and historical fleet expansion (2013-2016). No revenue is publicly disclosed.

Name

Great Adventures

Legal name

Great Adventures

Website

https://greatadventures.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Great Adventures is a Cairns-based marine tourism operator offering daily Great Barrier Reef and Green Island tours via three high-speed catamarans and a permanently moored Outer Reef activity platform, serving families, school groups, certified divers, non-swimmers, and international visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairns

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tour Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from selling tickets to Great Barrier Reef and Green Island day tours. Pricing varies by tour type (Outer Reef, Green Island, or Combo) and passenger category (Adult, Child, Family). Base tickets include transportation, meals, and standard activities.
2. Optional Activity Add-ons: Revenue from optional paid activities including scuba diving (certified and intro), Seawalker helmet diving, helicopter flights, guided snorkel tours, and equipment hire.
3. Photography Services: Professional photography services provided by third-party partners (Indepth Video & Photography, Island Photography) available for purchase on the day of travel.
4. Onboard Retail and Refreshments: Additional revenue from onboard purchases including drinks from the bar, souvenirs, GoPro rentals, and optional equipment.
5. Coach Transfer Services: Return coach transfers to and from Cairns and Northern Beaches properties available as add-on purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Great Adventures operates daily fast catamaran tours from Cairns Marina to Green Island and the Outer Great Barrier Reef, delivering a full day-cruise experience that includes snorkeling, certified and introductory scuba diving, semi-submersible coral viewing, underwater observatory viewing, glass-bottom boat tours, scenic helicopter flights, parasailing, and guided marine biologist snorkel tours. The product is built around three modern catamarans (Reef Spirit 24m, Reef King 30m, Reef Adventure 33m) and a permanently moored activity platform on the Outer Reef, targeting leisure travelers, families, school groups, and international tourists.

Product overview

Great Adventures operates a tour and marine activity platform business centered on the Great Barrier Reef and Green Island near Cairns, Queensland. The core offering consists of three main tour products: Great Barrier Reef Adventure (outer reef platform day trip), Green Island Tours (coral cay island day trip with multiple package tiers), and the combined Green Island & Great Barrier Reef Adventure (multi-destination combo). These are complemented by an extensive catalog of optional add-on activities including snorkeling, scuba diving (certified and introductory), semi-submersible reef tours, underwater observatory visits, Scuba Doo underwater scooter, Seawalker helmet diving, glass bottom boat, scenic helicopter flights, parasailing, eco walks, and marine biology-guided tours. The company also offers structured Reef Education Experience programs for school groups aligned to Australian Curriculum. Transportation options include modern fast catamaran ferries and optional coach transfers. The product architecture is modular, allowing customers to select base tours and customize with optional activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Great Barrier Reef Adventure Full-day outer reef cruise from Cairns to the permanently moored Great Adventures activity platform on the Outer Great Barrier Reef, including snorkeling, semi-submersible coral viewing, underwater observatory access, glass-bottom boat, and buffet lunch for tourists and leisure travelers.
• Green Island Tours Day-cruise package from Cairns to Green Island available in multiple tiers (Green Island Discovery, Green Island Eco, ferry-only transfer), offering snorkeling, glass-bottom boat, semi-submersible, Marineland Melanesia crocodile park, and island beach activities for tourists.
• Green Island & Great Barrier Reef Adventure Combination day cruise visiting both Green Island and the Outer Great Barrier Reef pontoon in a single day, including snorkeling, semi-submersible, underwater observatory, and island beach time for tourists.
• Reef Education Experience Curriculum-aligned school excursion to Green Island and the Outer Great Barrier Reef including boat tour, snorkeling, semi-submersible, underwater observatory, and educational marine biology content, with one free teacher per 10 students.
• Scuba Doo Underwater scooter experience using a self-contained bubble helmet allowing non-certified guests to explore the reef without needing to know how to swim at additional cost on the Outer Reef tour.
• Seawalker Helmet Diving Helmet diving experience walking along the seabed on the Outer Reef, available as a paid add-on to the Great Barrier Reef Adventure tour for $205 per person.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ consecutive years of Advanced Ecotourism Certification, achieving Hall of Fame status with Ecotourism Australia
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quicksilver GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreat Adventures was acquired by Quicksilver Group in 2005 and operates as part of the Quicksilver Group family of reef cruise brands. The group includes Quicksilver Cruises, Wavedancer Low Isles, Silver Series, Ocean Spirit Cruises, Pro Dive Cairns, and Poseidon Cruises. As part of this group, Great Adventures benefits from shared resources, environmental research through Reef Biosearch, and cross-promotional marketing within the group's portfolio.
• Indepth Video & PhotographyminorOthersThird-party photography service that hires GoPro cameras onboard Great Adventures vessels and at the Outer Reef platform. Photos can be viewed and ordered online after travel through the Indepth Video website.
• Island PhotographyminorOthersThird-party photography service available at Green Island for capturing snorkel, Seawalker, and scuba dive adventures. Photos can be viewed and ordered online after travel.
• ScubadoominorOthersIndependent operator providing the Scuba Doo underwater scooter experience at Great Adventures' Outer Reef Platform. This is the only location in Australia where this activity is available.
• Reef BiosearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental research partner providing Marine Biologist staff for eco reef talks, fish feeding presentations, and educational programs. Reef Biosearch conducts ongoing environmental monitoring and research projects at the reef platforms.
• Queensland Government - Education Experience ProgramcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGreat Adventures is a registered facilitator for the Queensland Government-funded Great Barrier Reef Education Experience Program, which provides up to $150 per student directly to schools to subsidize reef excursion costs.
• Green Island ResortminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeparate resort operation on Green Island offering accommodation. Cross-promotional relationship with Great Adventures ferry services. Exclusive locals deals offered in partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Quicksilver Cruises: Sister brand under Quicksilver Group operating reef cruises from Port Douglas to Agincourt Reef. Directly comparable product (outer reef pontoon, snorkeling, diving) in a nearby but distinct geography; demonstrates the parent group's replicated platform model.
• Down Under Dive: Cairns dive operator running day and multi-day reef trips including liveaboard options. Closely comparable on the diving half of Great Adventures' portfolio, with overlapping Outer Reef dive sites and similar certified/introductory dive products.
• Wavedancer Low Isles: Quicksilver Group sister brand operating sailing catamaran day cruises to Low Isles from Port Douglas. Similar product architecture (catamaran to island/reef, snorkeling, glass bottom boat) with shared infrastructure and marketing.
• Passions of Paradise: Cairns-based reef day cruise competitor offering similar sailing catamaran trips to the Outer Great Barrier Reef with snorkeling, diving, and eco-commentary. Comparable target market (leisure tourists), overlapping itinerary, and pricing tier to Great Adventures' combo products.
• Ocean Spirit Cruises: Quicksilver Group sister brand operating from Cairns to Michaelmas Cay with catamaran day cruises including snorkeling and semi-submersible tours. Direct intra-group overlap with Great Adventures' product mix and customer base.
• Reef Magic Cruises: Cairns-based operator running catamaran trips to a private pontoon at Moore Reef with snorkeling, diving, semi-submersible, and underwater observatory. Direct head-to-head competitor to Great Adventures' Outer Reef Adventure, including a comparable activity platform concept.
• Poseidon Cruises: Quicksilver Group sister brand operating a luxury catamaran day cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas. Comparable premium reef experience with snorkeling, certified diving, and marine biologist presentations; cross-sells via Quicksilver Group's portfolio.
• Pro Dive Cairns: Quicksilver Group sister brand operating multi-day dive liveaboard trips and training from Cairns. Comparable on the certified diving portion of Great Adventures' portfolio; shares customer overlap via cross-promotion.

Emerging players

• Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort: Eco-certified island resort on the Southern Great Barrier Reef with day tours, snorkeling, and diving. Comparable on the eco-tourism positioning and reef experience product, but smaller scale and a more remote, multi-day destination rather than a day-trip from Cairns.

Regional players

• Cruise Whitsundays: Queensland operator running day cruises to Whitehaven Beach and the Whitsundays from Airlie Beach. Comparable day-cruise, snorkeling, and island-hopping product but in a different region (Central vs. Tropical North Queensland); competes for the same leisure-tourist wallet but not the same itinerary.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatAdventuresCruises
• Instagraminstagram.com/greatadventurescruises
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-adventures-pty-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Adventures