The Aquarian was a fishing trawler about 15 m long and 5 m wide that sank off South Stradbroke Island in 1986 with the loss of her skipper, Malcolm Taylor. The Gold Coast Seaway tower is named in his honour, a reminder of how dangerous the coast around the Seaway and Jumpinpin bars can be for working boats. The wreck lies in about 14 m within Moreton Bay Marine Park, north of the Seaway, and is dived under the marine parks permit held by Gold Coast Dive Adventures.

The stern is fully exposed, while the bow sits in the sand to about a third of its depth, so the wreck slopes gently from bow to stern. Being small and intact, it is an easy wreck to understand in a single dive, and the operator rates it suitable for all experience levels. There is no need to penetrate; the interest is in the growth on the hull and the animals that use it.

The wreck is known for bottom-dwelling sharks: blind sharks, wobbegongs and shovelnose rays (guitar sharks) rest beside and under the hull, and small reef fish, baitfish and invertebrates have colonised the structure. It is often listed with the Dragin II and the Scottish Prince as one of the Gold Coast wrecks. Divers should remember that it is the site of a fatal sinking and treat it with respect.

It is a good introduction to wreck diving for newly certified divers and a pleasant, shallow second dive after a deeper site.

Boat access only. Gold Coast Dive Adventures departs Runaway Bay Marina and runs out through the Gold Coast Seaway and north along South Stradbroke Island. The operator holds the Moreton Bay Marine Parks permit needed to run commercial dives here.

Private boats launch at the Broadwater ramps and cross the Seaway bar; the run north along the island is exposed to swell.

Offshore Gold Coast reefs sit in open water and are limited by swell and wind: easterly or south-easterly swell over about 1.5 m and south-east trade winds over 15-20 knots make the sites rough and stir up the bottom, while summer north-easterly sea breezes build through the afternoon. Visibility is typically 8-20 m, best after several days of southerly or westerly winds and in winter, and poor after heavy rain when the Nerang River and Broadwater outflow spreads along the coast. The Seaway crossing is safest on the incoming tide.

Descend the line to the exposed stern at about 12-14 m, circle the hull to the bow, which is buried about a third deep in sand, and check under the stern and along the sand for blind sharks and shovelnose rays. Return to the line.

Gold Coast Dive Adventures (Runaway Bay) – holds the Moreton Bay Marine Parks permit and runs occasional dives; UniDive club trips.