Scuba diving boats

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most famous dive destinations in the world, even though less that one tenth of one per-cent of the Great Barrier Reef – the world’s largest marine park – is ever scuba dived on a regular basis. However only a relatively small number of the thousands of scuba divers that visit Queensland on a scuba diving trip are aware of the southern Queensland dive destinations that offer divers’ fantastic scuba diving on dive sites that are found south of Bundaberg and Lady Elliot Island... at the southern extremity of the Great Barrier Reef.

Southeast Queensland, encompassing the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, has some of the best dive destinations in the state. In this region divers will find some of the best scuba diving available and can explore shipwrecks, rocky reefs, coral reefs, pinnacles and artificial reefs, all of which attract a healthy variety of marine life.

Lying in a sub-tropical region, the ocean off Southeast Queensland supports a thriving marine ecosystem... using scuba diving boats to explore the waters off Southeast Queensland, scuba divers will encounter a wonderful collection of abundant marine life with Queensland’s sub-tropical waters providing the perfect environment for soft and hard corals to flourish. A variety of tropical fish, pelagics, giant Queensland cod (gropers) which can reach 3 metres (10 ft) in length, marine reptiles (including green turtles, loggerhead turtles and hawksbill turtles), rays and sharks are regularly encountered at many dive sites.

Southeast Queensland dive destinations are serviced by a number of professional dive operators working from Rainbow Beach, Noosa, Mooloolaba, Brisbane, Moreton Island, North Stradbroke Island and throughout the Gold Coast... All offer gear hire, sales, dive instruction and local advice, plus many operate scuba diving boats offering day trips or a weekend liveaboard scuba diving trip…

Whether you are a seasoned scuba diver or trying on a wetsuit for the first time, the Sunshine Coast offers some of the best dive destinations and scuba diving experiences in Queensland. One major drawcard for divers planning a scuba diving trip on the Sunshine Coast is that the region offers a large variety of dive destinations... ranging from a 'wreck' dive on the newly created wreck of the ex-HMAS Brisbane... to shallow water diving around Mudjimba (Old Woman) Island... or for the more adventurous a dive on Wolf Rock... the sunshine coast has plenty of dive sites to explore.

With water temperatures that range from 19C to 27C (66F - 80F) and beautiful sunny weather most days of the year, the Sunshine Coast offers divers some of the best scuba diving conditions as well as a safe and spectacular scuba diving environment... while at the same time holidaying and enjoying the stylish and relaxed southern Queensland atmosphere... Scuba divers are able to enjoy relatively shallow reefs and bommies plus colourful coral grounds within sight of shore... and you will experience some of the best scuba diving in the region when you dive the Inner Gneerings (8-18m)... Outer Gneerings (14-25m)... and Murphy’s Reef (15-35m) as well as Flinders Reef and other great dive destinations off Moreton Island.

Sunshine Coast dive destinations

Sinking of the HMAS Brisbane... in July 2005, explosive charges saw the decommissioned HMAS Brisbane warship sunk off the Sunshine Coast to create one of Queensland's world-class dive destinations and artificial reef that is fast becoming one of the best scuba diving destinations along the coast... The vessel has been scuttled about 2.8 nautical miles east of Mudjimba Island... putting the ship in 28 metres (92 ft) of water and approx. 9 km (5.5 miles) from the mouth of the Mooloolah River which has one of the safest bars on the east coast... this allows an easy crossing by scuba diving boats, taking scuba divers to the HMAS Brisbane which is located only 20 minutes from the mouth of the harbour.

It is expected that this particular dive site will soon become one of Australia’s best scuba diving destinations for wreck diving... so book early to be among the first to dive!... Just contact us... open water scuba divers will be able to descend to the top deck of the ship in approx. 15-16 metres (50-55 ft) but only advanced open water divers will be permitted to dive to the base of the wreck and you will need to have ‘Wreck Diver’ specialty accreditation to be allowed to penetrate the ship... The ex-HMAS Brisbane is, at present, the only purpose designed dive wreck in Australia where you can actually scuba dive inside the engine and boiler rooms.

Wolf Rock... located off Rainbow Beach, is a towering pinnacle of rock that rises from 40 m (130 ft) to break the surface. This is one of the most action packed dive destinations in Australia... On a typical scuba dive you will see grey nurse sharks, eagle rays, schools of pelagic fish, turtles, Queensland gropers and many other species.

Gneering Reefs... located off Mooloolaba, covers a large area. It would take a scuba diver a lifetime to fully explore the coral reef here, which varies in depth from 6 to 30 m (20-100ft). On a typical dive you will be overwhelmed by the rich coral gardens that flourish with invertebrate species and reef fish.

The Pinnacles (7-19 metres)... are one of the most popular dive destinations off Noosa, located near Laguna Bay which is a natural ‘grooming station’ attracting a vast array of marine species. The warmer waters of summer bring schooling pelagics…majestic manta, bull, cowtail, blue spotted and shovel nose rays are routinely spotted lazing around in the sandy gutters and eagle rays, in groups of up to thirty, are often seen gliding around the shallow waters just on top of the Pinnacles…this is an amazing site and one of the best scuba diving destinations around with 3 pinnacles standing upright from the sea bed. The highest reaches 10 metres (32 ft) from the sea bed and the tops of the pinnacles are submerged in 16 metres (53 ft) of water, making the bottom dive 26 metres (86 ft)…leopard (zebra) sharks turn up around late November for three months. These inquisitive, harmless creatures often swim in very close quarters with divers…There are also many resident loggerhead and green turtles, moray eels and a vast array of smaller creatures which provide the ingredients of a photographer’s dream.

The Caves (9-20 metres)... 500 (1650 ft) metres south east of the Pinnacles should not be missed on any scuba diving trip... this site has four quite unique swim-throughs teeming with huge schools of cardinal fish, bullseyes and butter-bream. Other residents are stars and stripes pufferfish, spiny rock lobsters, estuary cod, nannygai, blue parrot fish, coral trout and grouper... For shell enthusiasts there are beautiful egg and tiger cowries... enjoy them! But leave them in place for the next diver.

Darcy’s Reef (14-22 metres)... as dive destinations go in this diving area it is unusual and well worth a visit with a series of ridges and sand gutters 500 metres (1650 ft)... found due east of the Pinnacles, the reef is adorned with many beautifully coloured soft corals, black coral trees and white coral whips with fairy basslets and sapphire damsels darting in and out of cover... Numerous wobbegongs inhabit this area, laying in wait for their staple diet, the spiny rock lobster.

North Hall (14-21 metres)... does not posses particularly spectacular underwater topography but this is more than compensated for by the variety of marine life. This series of rocky outcrops, sandy gutters and gulches is home to many soft and hard corals, nudibranchs, flatworms and a variety of crustaceans including the painted crayfish and the manta shrimp... Fish life also abounds on this reef, especially during the summer months when the large pelagics arrive.

Castaways (24-32 metres)... is an isolated reef half way between Noosa and Coolum and is home to many residential fish including maori and barramundi, coral trout, grouper and lion fish. Coral life here is quite abundant with a beautiful garden of coral whips and black coral trees. This location is also home to the bullseye lobster, a very rare species in these waters.

Brisbane dive destinations

Flinders Reef... is located in the Moreton Bay Marine Park off Brisbane and is protected as a marine sanctuary. Flinders Reef offers wonderful diving in depths from 5 to 25m and is renowned for the beauty of its corals, its abundant fish population and resident turtles.

Curtin Artificial Reef... one of the largest artificial reefs in the world is found off Brisbane, is visited regularly by scuba diving boats... Dozens of old ships have been sunk at the site since 1968, in depths from 15 to 25m. The wrecks are fun for scuba divers to explore and a haven for marine life, including a number of huge Queensland cod (gropers).

The Tangalooma Wrecks... are also located off Brisbane, close offshore from Moreton Island, on the western side... these ships were sunk to create a safe harbour for small boats. The thirteen rusting ship hulls are great to dive around, and make a good drift dive near the top of the tide in depths from 1 to 12m. Both snorkellers and scuba divers will enjoy this site, which attracts a surprising amount of marine life.

Flat Rock... off North Stradbroke Island is one of the most exciting dive destinations off Brisbane. Surrounding this rocky island are beautiful coral reefs in depths from 5 to 35m. Scuba diving on Flat Rock you will encounter turtles, leopard sharks, eagle rays, reef fish, pelagic fish and even the odd manta ray. It is most famous for its population of grey nurse sharks, which gather at a site called ‘Shark Alley’ each winter.

Manta Bommie... is fast becoming one of Brisbane’s most famous dive destinations. The rocky reef at this site is only 5 to 15m deep, but attracts marine life like a magnet, especially over the warmer months. Manta rays are the main attraction, with three or four seen swimming together. Also common are leopard sharks, shovelnose rays, wobbegong sharks, stingrays, eagle rays, pelagic fish and turtles... make sure to include a dive on this bommie on any planned scuba diving trip.

Gold Coast dive destinations

The Scottish Prince... sunk off the Gold Coast in 1887, this is the Gold Coast’s very own historic wreck... This 64m (210 ft) long iron barque now sits in 12 m (40 ft) of water and is one of the best scuba diving trips to take in this area... Only the hull of the ship remains, however it is home to schools of fish, turtles, stingrays and large numbers of wobbegong sharks.

Palm Beach Reef... is an extensive rocky reef off the Gold Coast. Here divers will find a maze of ridges and gutters to explore in 5 to 20m, which are home to reef fish, pelagic fish, turtles and leopard sharks... this site is suited for both the experienced and novice diver.

Kirra Reef... situated only 15 minutes away from Palm Beach reef you will find the Kirra Reef, a habitat for eagle rays, wobbegong sharks, eels and a myriad of juvenile fish... Frequent sightings of turtles make this a fantastic scuba dive.

Cook Island... designated as an Aquatic Reserve, the fish life has returned to this site in abundance! And it has now become one of the ‘must’ dive destinations on the Gold Coast... Cook Island shelters a range of tropical fish... expect to see the protected blue groper, the seasonal leopard shark as well as consistent turtle sightings... this site provides scuba divers with all levels of experience a day to remember.

Nine Mile Reef... in summer, the leopard shark make this site their home... in winter grey nurse sharks adopt the site... Dropping to 26m (86 ft) and prone to strong currents, this is one of the coast's best scuba diving destinations for advanced open water divers.

Conditions at all dive destinations along the Southeast Queensland coast are generally good throughout the year, however winter generally brings the most stable weather conditions... Visibility on the outer reefs averages 15 to 20m, but can reach 30m (100 ft) at times, while the sites closer to shore average 8 to 12m visibility.

When planning a scuba diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef, don’t by pass southeast Queensland as you will be missing some of the finest dive destinations in the state.