John Brewer reef lies 30 nautical miles east of The Palm Group and 15 nautical miles north-northwest of Keeper Reef and is featured on page 66 of The Coconut Coast cruising guide.

Post a lookout and go slow. Whilst the water is often clear, there are bommies at varying depths everywhere, even on approach to the moorings. If you don't use a mooring buoy anchor carefully to protect the reef.

John Brewer Reef is the former site of Australia's first floating hotel. Conceived by Townsville developer Doug Tarca, the seven-storey structure had nearly 200 rooms and was decked out with a nightclub, bars and restaurants, a helipad and a tennis court. It opened for business in March 1988 after being damaged by a cyclone, but that was not what ended the venture. Guests would often arrive seasick due to the rough ride out to the reef. Numbers dropped, and it became financially nonviable. The structure was sold to a Vietnamese businessman, and it was renamed the Saigon Floating Hotel. It now resides in North Korea.

Today, John Brewer Reef is home to a different tourism experience - the first underwater museum in the southern hemisphere. Art installations created by British sculptor, environmentalist, and underwater photographer Jason deCaires Taylor were installed in 2019 on the northeast end of the reef and are a must see for divers and snorkelers alike. The Museum of Underwater Art requests that each person enjoying the exhibit makes a donation once during their stay to fund their ongoing reef conservation and protection work. Register your visit at their website.

Whilst there, dive down or swim above The Coral Greenhouse (at a depth of 16 metres) and The Ocean Sentinels (at a depth of 5 metres). Do not touch any of the artworks. John Brewer Reef is a Conservation Park Zone within the Great Barrier Reef Marine National Park.

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