<span class="g">Ocean Free</span>

Ocean Free

Family Owned

Family Owned

<span class="o">Ocean Freedom</span>

Ocean Freedom

CAIRNS PREMIER GREAT BARRIER REEF & ISLAND TOURSOperating Two Exclusive Reef Tours "Ocean Free" & "Ocean Freedom"

Small, personally guided Great Barrier Reef eco snorkel and dive experiences — designed for comfort, care and genuine connection with one of the world’s most remarkable natural wonders.

 

Not a crowded tour. Not a rushed experience. A carefully guided day on the reef — refined over 30 years. 

 

Locally owned and passionately operated by Perry Jones, Taryn Agius and their wonderful team.

 

Our story began with a shared love of the ocean and a commitment to creating experiences where every guest feels genuinely welcomed, cared for and inspired—where you’re known by name, not by number.

 

Perry has been working in the Cairns dive industry since 1988, managing reef operations on several small vessels. He met Taryn in late 1992 on one of the boats, and they purchased Ocean Free in 1996. Their dedication to exceptional guest experiences quickly earned Ocean Free a reputation as one of Cairns’ most respected personalised reef tours.

 

In 2005 they expanded that vision with the launch of Ocean Freedom, creating a second, complementary reef experience that offers spacious comfort, extended reef time and access to spectacular Outer Great Barrier Reef locations, while maintaining the same personalised approach that guests had come to love.

 

Together, the two vessels provide guests with the opportunity to choose the experience that best suits their style of adventure, while sharing the same commitment to their reputable service, safety and environmental stewardship.

 

“Many of our guests return time and again, recommending us to family and friends because they value the style of service, genuine connections with our crew and the relaxed atmosphere that has become the hallmark of “Ocean Free and Ocean Freedom”. While our vessels have grown and evolved over the years, one thing has never changed—our commitment to genuine hospitality and sharing our passion for the Great Barrier Reef.”

 

Today, Perry, Taryn and their dedicated crew continue to love what they do, taking great pride in ensuring every guest enjoys not only an unforgettable Great Barrier Reef adventure, but an all-round “feel good” day.

“We believe the best reef experiences create lasting memories, and lasting memories inspire people to care for the Great Barrier Reef. We look forward to welcoming you aboard Ocean Free or Ocean Freedom, arriving as our guests and leaving feeling part of our ever-growing “Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom” family.

Safe, Personalised Reef Experiences - Your safety, comfort and enjoyment are at the heart of every experience we provide - Whether an adventurous snorkeller or diver looking to explore the Great Barrier Reef, a first-time snorkeller ready for a new adventure, or travelling with family or friends of varying ages and abilities, our experienced crew are committed to helping every guest enjoy the day with confidence - Our tours are designed for guests with a sense of adventure and a willingness to experience the reef, while recognising that everyone enjoys the day in different ways - Whether you prefer a day filled with adventure or a more relaxed pace, how active or leisurely you make it is entirely your choice - We've provided detailed information throughout our website, including tour suitability and accessibility, medical considerations and frequently asked questions. If you're still unsure which tour best suits your needs, our friendly reservations team is always happy to help on info@oceanfree.com.au or phone +61 7 40521111 We would sincerely love the opportunity to give you all a great day on the Great Barrier Reef, Taryn, Perry, Jazz and the Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom family.
What this Video
What this Video

Why Choose Cairns Premier Reef & Island Tours
Sail Ocean Free . Cruise Ocean Freedom

Personalised Tours

We value our guests and are committed to providing very personalised, caring tours on both boats, where you’re a name not a number.

Exclusive Sailing Trip

Ocean Free has an exclusive mooring 1km off Green Island offering international visitors and locals a sail, reef and island experience.

More Reef Time

Ocean Freedom gives guests 6 unrushed hours to explore 2 stunning reef destinations, Upolu Cay Reef and Outer Edge Upolu Reef.

The Best Crew

Crew members are hand-picked to provide unsurpassed service, professionalism, reef knowledge and a high respect for safety.

Fantastic Snorkelling

Step straight off our boats to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, no deep, dark water!  The coral outcrops come up to just 1M under the surface for easy viewing. We provide guided tours, and our crew share their knowledge and passion  for the reef.

More Info about Fantastic Snorkelling

Scuba Diving

We have the highest ratio of dive instructors to divers (2:1) for our Non-Certified (intro) diving and small group Certified diving with complimentary guide to ensure you see the best parts of the reef. We take your safety very seriously.

More Info about Scuba Diving

Environment

Cairns Premier Reef & Island Tours are proud to announce that both their personal Great Barrier Reef Tours have been  Advanced Eco Certified tours for over 10 years, earning the Ecotourism  title of Green Travel Leader

More Info about Environment

Value for Money

Ocean Free and Ocean Freedom are both priced the same and offer great value for money, with lots of inclusions including all snorkel equipment and tuition, snorkel tours, food served throughout the day  and plenty of time at your reef destinations.

More Info about Value for Money

Testimonials

Michael L.
6 hours ago
The whole day was fantastic the staff were genuine and friendly not the fake canned niceties that you get at other tourist setups and you can have a reasonably priced beer on the way home. Wish I could give 6 stars
Stephanie C.
1 day ago
THE BEST boat in Cairns! The crew was absolutely top notch- helpful, fun, informative. The service, food, snorkeling were amazing- boat is just the right size. It may be a little more than some boats but it’s absolutely worth the extra money. We did another boat the day before and it was worlds apart in experience. The other patrons on the boat were also polite and had great etiquette. I share this because The customers on the larger boat we did the day before with the water slides etc also attracted tourists who weren’t really there to appreciate the reef.
Penny C.
3 days ago
工作人員每位都細心體貼詢問你的感受, 如評價所說,絕對值得5星。 非常推薦!
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Response from the owner:Hi Penny, Thank you so much for your high rating and high recommendation of our reef tour - much appreciated!
Prashant B.
5 days ago
Reallly amazing crew. Loved every bit of it. One of the best experiences so far.
Response from the owner:Hi Prashant, Thrilled to hear that you "loved every bit of it" and honoured to hear that we were one of the best experiences so far! We do promote ourselves as a "feel good day" from the minute you board to the minute you leave so thank for your review.
Aashish B.
6 days ago
If you miss this you will miss the best experience in scuba diving. Absolutely entertaining crew amazing hospitality and unlimited fun throughout the trip best thing i did in Cairns.
Response from the owner:Hi Aashish, Thank you so much for your comments on your SCUBA diving experience on Ocean Freedom! We are thrilled to hear that you had "unlimited" fun throughout the trip and we were your best experience in Cairns - we are honoured to hear!
Pablo
6 days ago
Hemos ido a bucear al arrecife y todo de 10. La atención del personal, la embarcación y nuestra guia Tee que estuvo todo momento sobresaliente. Así que totalmente recomendables.
Response from the owner:Hi Pablo, Muchas gracias por su reseña! Wonderful to hear that you enjoyed our crew hospitality and the whole experience - Tee is indeed a very passionate snorkel and dive guide and will very happy to hear that you enjoyed your reef activities. Thank you for the high recommendation or our local family operation!
Kym H.
6 days ago
We loved our reef adventure with Ocean Freedom. The staff were amazing and so accommodating, loads of food from pastries and fruit when you board to cheese and crackers and cake at the end of the day.
Response from the owner:Hi Kym, Thank you for your review of our Ocean Freedom reef adventure - There is certainly a lot of adventure you can do with 6hrs of reef time so wonderful to hear you made full use of this time! And ... of course with all that reef adventure equally very important to satisfy the hunger that comes with all that activity - so also very happy to hear that you found the food to also be plentiful and satisfying - have to keep the tummies content as well!!
Eric
1 week ago
We had a great time out on the reef, great company and service on board.
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Response from the owner:Hi Eric, Thank you for your review - great to hear you enjoyed your whole experience as that is very important to us. Appreciate your time to review.
Aspen H.
1 week ago
So amazing!! Spent so much time snorkeling, seeing the Great Barrier Reef has been a dream of mine forever. Boat is crewed by amazing people. Felt a bit seasick on the way in- crept up such that I didn't have time to towel off before running to the rail. Crew member noticed my shivering and brought me a splash jacket ❤️ a true queen 👑 can't speak highly enough of the experience
Response from the owner:Hi Aspen! Wonderful to hear - it is very important to us to make all guests feel as comfortable as possible at all times so we are thrilled your "queen" appeared at the right time!! :) We are all about making those special reef moments and are very proud for 30 years of our crew's care and hospitality and our "family operated" brand :) Thank you once again for your comments.
Mark G.
1 week ago
Had an incredible trip on Ocean Free out to Green Island. Everything about it was excellent, the boat, food and equipment were perfect. The best thing was the crew, Ryan, Reece and Tom were so friendly, knowledgeable and patient. They are a credit to a very well run operation.
Response from the owner:Thank you Mark for your review and your comments about our Ocean Free reef and island tour. We are a longstanding local family operator and very proud of our staff who are passionate about maintaining the company's ethos of guest care and reef experience. Your comments are much appreciated and we are very happy to have given you an incredible reef experience - that is what we love to do!
John E.
1 week ago
Excellent day trip to the reef . Skipper Mat and crew were awesome. First class , friendly service with a good helping of reef knowledge passed on . Shout out to our guides Storm and Archie , thanks again👌🏻
Response from the owner:Hi John! Wonderful to hear - Matt, Storm and Archie will be thrilled. Our crew love to pass on their knowledge of the wonderful reef. Thank you for your review - much appreciated
Alexandra M.
1 week ago
Outstanding day out on Ocean Free. Combo of snorkelling, diving, Green Island stop and sailing home. The amazing crew made everything easy, kept us safe and very well fed, showed us some fantastic marine ecosystems. Highly recommend this boat for a first reef experience. Thanks Matt, Ti, Amber and Brosman.
Response from the owner:Hi Alexandra! Thank you so much for your review and high recommendation for a first reef experience. We have been operating for 30 years and we try and make everyones experience on the day match their level of expertise from seasoned snorkellers to new ones!! We are thrilled you enjoyed your first reef experience :)
Eric M.
1 week ago
From start to finish it was an amazing experience. All the staff are enthusiastic about their job, friendly, patient ( my youngest is normally not a brave one and he had the best time ). Morning intro dive location is stunning, mature healthy reef with a great variety in soft and hard coral, with all the fishy friends you would expect and many that were welcome surprises. After the dive had plenty of time to snorkel still, before a delicious lunch. Second dive just as breathtaking in a completely different way. Visiting the GBR has been a dream for 20+ years and I couldn't have asked for more. Thank you all for the amazing day.
Response from the owner:Hi Eric, You are very welcome and thank you so much for your review of your experience on Ocean Freedom. We go to 2 very uniquely different reef sites - it is wonderful you recognised the uniqueness of each site and enjoyed the 2 experiences - we totally agree with you and we have been visiting these sites for 30 years - they are part of our "Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom " family! ...and so are all our guests who travel with us . Hope to see you back again in the future.
Gideon
2 weeks ago
Mia is the best instructor I’ve seen
Response from the owner:Hi Gideon, Thank you for your rating and review - we are thrilled you enjoyed your SCUBA diving - Mia will be delighted you had a great dive!
Liam K.
2 weeks ago
Snorkeling sites were excellent and the staff exceptional in their patience, knowledge and enthusiasm. Thanks for an amazing day out in the reef.
Response from the owner:Hi Liam, You are very welcome - we love making special reef memories !! We agree there is so much to see on our snorkelling sites on the wonderful GBR made all the better when also learning about the marine life and coral :) Thank you so much for your review!
Pie 3.
2 weeks ago
It was an amazing experience thanks to an amazing crew. They knew what they were doing and provided amazing service including lunch, fruits, snacks and sweets. The crew members had good knowledge of the Marine life and gave interesting insight and facts. Thank you :)
Response from the owner:Thank you Pie - we are very happy you enjoyed your day under the guidance of our passionate and knowledgeable crew. The GBR is truly an amazing icon with so many interesting stories! Thank you for your comments - very much appreciated.
Sanjoy B.
2 weeks ago
Awesome GBR experience. The Crew is super helpful and caring. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks provided- Good cold spread. Alcohol can be purchased. The main vessel is bit old, everything else a great one
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Response from the owner:Hi Sanjoy! Thank you so much for your review. We are thrilled you had am awesome GBR experience. Thank you also for the great photos we do get amazing rainbows in Cairns
Juzzy H.
2 weeks ago
On the Dive and Snorkeling trip on 24 Jun 26. Fantastic day from a fun and professional crew. The dives and snorkeling were both well led with plenty to see. Highly recommended.
Response from the owner:Hi Juzzy, Thank you for your review and high recommendation of our tour - much appreciated :) We are thrilled you had a great snorkel and dive experience with our attentive crew!
Adrien
3 weeks ago
Had a great time with the crew! Went for one cert. dive and ended up doing two with our divemaster Anna. Great welcoming and really friendly crew. Good food buffet with breakfast, lunch, some and cheese afterwards! Would recommend :)
Response from the owner:Hi Adrien - Thank you for your review and recommendation of our tour - much appreciated! Wonderful to hear you enjoyed your scuba diving with Anna - it is so much better when you get shown the reef and all you need to do is relax and take in the wonders that surround you :)
Mal W.
3 weeks ago
What an awesome day! The staff were helpful, knowledgeable and at times hilarious. The food was fab. The fish, coral, birds and turtles came to the party ... and not to mention Gary the giant Trevally... what a star!
Response from the owner:Hi Mal - wonderful to hear :) Yes our family company personal service comes from the heart of all the "Ocean Free & Ocean Freedom" family from above and below the water!! Glad you enjoyed all the "family" - GT Gary will feel very special - we will let him know he got a special mention - though "Barnables" our turtle may get a little jealous!! Thank you for the review - it is much appreciated .
Joshua N.
3 weeks ago
Great experience overall. Entire crew was extremely friendly. Archie and Mia were especially helpful and great diving instructors!
Response from the owner:Hi Joshua! Thank you so much for your review. We are thrilled you had a great experience - that extra personal touch is what our local family company ethos has been for 30 years - Archie and Mia would be very happy to hear that you felt very comfortable on your dives with them - that is very important to us!
Marta R.
3 weeks ago
It was an amazing experience! The weather was a little bit rough, but who can control the weather. Overall, it was worth it. I'll keep this memory as a treasure 🧚🏻‍♀️ The boat and the crew were incredible. I had a great moment! The diving 100% recommended.Just a little bit shocked about how small we are 🐛
Response from the owner:Hi Marta, Thank you for your feedback of our tour! We are thrilled to hear you had an amazing experience despite the bumpy weather and loved your scuba diving - we agree that it is 100% pure fun being under the waves with all our marine resident friends :) We love to make special reef memories so very happy to hear that our experience will be one of your treasured memories - we are honoured!
Makenzie S.
4 weeks ago
We went out on the Ocean Free today and had the absolute best time! We can’t say enough wonderful things about the experience and the crew! The private snorkeling/diving spot off of Green Island allowed us to see fish, sharks, turtles and corals. It was amazing! We had a great time getting to know the others on the boat and would recommend this experience to everyone!
Response from the owner:Hi Makenzie - thank you so much for your review and recommendation of our tour - much appreciated :) Our little piece of exclusive reef for our Ocean Free guests really does make it a very private experience :)
Nadja G.
4 weeks ago
Had the best experience today. All staff is really friendly and competent, the tour was amazing! It was my first time snorkeling and my first time in the ocean, everyone took so good care of me and I enjoyed A LOT! Would recommend to everyone ❤️ thank you guys!
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Response from the owner:Hi Nadja! Wonderful to hear you enjoyed your first time snorkelling and first time in the ocean - well done !! Thank you also for your recommendation to everyone :) ..it is much appreciated and the photos!
Patrick A.
1 month ago
We went on the Ocean Freedom and did the morning Scuba in addition to snorkeling. We paid extra for a dedicated guide because there were 4 of us with various levels of experience. Paul was excellent and worth the extra dedicated service. Snorkeling and Scuba at the Great Barrier Reef was an epic once in a lifetime experience.
Response from the owner:Hi Patrick! Thank you so much for your review and feedback. We are thrilled to hear that you had wonderful day and enjoyed the extra dedicated service for your family. It is important for us that all our guests have the best possible reef experience suited to their skill level. We absolutely love making long lasting reef experiences and we know that our beautiful Great Barrier Reef will be a family conversation for many years to come - it does cast a spell on you! Thank you once again - your feedback is very much appreciated.

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