Best Snorkelling Gear Australia

At minimum: a tempered glass mask with silicone skirt, dry-top snorkel, and short fins. A rashie or wetsuit is recommended for UV protection and jellyfish stings. Most reef tours provide gear, but it's typically low-quality — bringing your own mask alone makes a huge difference to the experience.

Full-face masks are fine for calm, shallow water but are not recommended for open ocean, strong currents, or diving below the surface. Several Australian tour operators have banned them due to CO2 rebreathing concerns. A traditional mask and snorkel combination is safer and more versatile.

For occasional holiday use, a $50–80 set from Cressi or Mares is perfectly adequate. If you snorkel regularly (monthly or more), spending $120–200 on a quality silicone mask, dry snorkel, and adjustable fins will be more comfortable and last 5+ years with proper rinsing after use.

In Queensland from October to May, a stinger suit or full-length rashie is strongly recommended due to box jellyfish and Irukandji. In southern states, a 2-3mm shorty wetsuit helps in water below 22°C. On warm northern reefs outside stinger season, boardshorts and a rashie are usually enough.