Bird Island is a small rocky island in the Hayman–Langford group, and 100 Magic Miles lists it as a drift dive rather than a reef-garden site. The guide describes rock in the shallows down to 6–8 m, then a drop-off to coral rubble and silty sand, with depths of 2–15 m and visibility of 2–12 m. The island is open to currents, which is what makes it best suited to drift diving.

Current brings bigger fish: the guide lists large cod, sweetlip and trevally, which hunt along the rock-rubble boundary where the tidal flow sweeps past. Drifting with a live boat following lets divers cover the length of the island without fighting the current, and the rock face offers cracks and ledges for crayfish and moray eels. Snorkelling is described as mediocre – the shallow rock is less attractive than the coral bays nearby, and current makes it hard work.

This is a site for divers who like drifting and bigger fish rather than colourful coral. No operator schedules Bird Island, and its exact position is not given in the sources reviewed. It is best approached with an experienced skipper who knows how the tide runs past the island, and with divers carrying SMBs.

On the right day it offers a change of pace from the usual Whitsunday bays. A sensible approach is to look at the island from the boat first: if the water is visibly running past the rocks, plan a drift with an SMB; if it is still, a short circuit of the rock and rubble slope from the anchor is possible.

Boat only. Bird Island, in the Hayman–Langford group, is about 18–22 nautical miles from Airlie Beach – roughly 40–60 minutes by fast day boat from Coral Sea Marina or Port of Airlie, or about 1 hour from Hamilton Island marina. Day tours that stop here include Ocean Rafting, Red Cat Adventures (Thundercat), Whitsunday Dive Adventures and Explore Group (from Airlie and Hamilton Island); overnight sailing and bareboat charters also visit.

Private and bareboat skippers must use the public moorings (time-limited, first come first served) and observe no-anchoring areas marked by reef protection markers; bareboat operators restrict where hirers may go. Parking at Airlie is available near Coral Sea Marina and the Port of Airlie.

The northern Hook Island bays face north and are sheltered from the dominant south-east trades (15–25 knots April–September), but they are open to northerly winds and swell (common October–March) and to very strong south-easterlies that wrap around the headlands. Tidal currents through the islands are strong on spring tides (tidal range up to about 4 m) and can make points and bay entrances difficult – plan dives at slack water and neap tides where possible. Visibility is usually 5–15 m, dropping after strong winds, big tides and wet-season rain.

Manta rays visit May–September. Marine stinger season (box jellyfish and Irukandji) runs roughly November to May – wear a full-length stinger suit or wetsuit with hood and gloves, carry vinegar. Cyclone season November–April; tropical lows and cyclones can close sites and damage coral (TC Yasi 2011, TC Debbie 2017).

Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie (March 2017) badly damaged the fringing reefs of northern Hook and Hayman islands; recovery is ongoing. 100 Magic Miles: open to currents; best for drift dives.

Drift along the island with the tide at 8–12 m where the rock meets the coral rubble, watching for cod, sweetlip and trevally; deploy an SMB and surface for live-boat pick-up.

No regular operator; occasional dive-boat drift dives and private charters. Nearest dive centres for gear hire, fills and local advice: Whitsunday Dive Adventures, Explore Group, Ocean Rafting, Red Cat Adventures, Cruise Whitsundays.