Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
Brays Rock
Sunshine Coast, Queensland · near Caloundra
| Depth | Depth not published |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Shore or Boat |
| Entry | Long surface swim from the Kings Beach area on flat days, or by small boat |
| Current | Moderate |
| Visibility | 3-10 m |
| Water | summer 25-27 °C, winter 19-21 °C |
| Suit | 3 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood June-September |
| Best season | Flat days in winter |
| Bottom time | 45 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | None required. |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Brays Rock
Also known as Bray's Rock
A Caloundra rock reef favoured by spearfishers, with basic diving along the reef towards Kings Beach.
Near Caloundra · Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 25-27 °C
- Visibility
- 3-10 m
Brays RockDepth not published · Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: June, July, August.
Dive facts
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Dive centre needed
- Recommended
- Shore / independent
- Possible (experienced only)
- Current
- Moderate
- Visibility
- 3-10 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 25-27 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 19-21 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 45 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
3 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood June-September
Location
Kings Beach – Caloundra headland · Sunshine Coast – Caloundra
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from documented sites across the Sunshine Coast region.
Primary source: southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.comMarine park & permits
None required.
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200.
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Brays Rock →
A day-by-day plan for Sunshine Coast with this site locked in.
This guide is a planning aid. Conditions change daily — confirm with a local dive centre and dive within your training. Data & safety notes.
Dive profile
How this site rates
Scores are computed from the recorded data, not opinions. How?
At a glance
Brays Rock is a reef shore dive for experienced divers in Sunshine Coast, QLD, suited to Open Water divers, moderate current.
Rated intermediate because of surge on the entry or in the shallows, boat traffic overhead.
Why dive here
- A Caloundra rock reef favoured by spearfishers, with basic diving along the reef towards Kings Beach.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
About Brays Rock
Brays Rock is a rocky reef off Caloundra, north of Kings Beach. A south-east Queensland divers' forum describes it as an excellent spearfishing and scuba site, with reefs extending around and north of the rock, and notes that the stretch between the Kings Beach surf club and Brays Rock offers 'nice basic diving and snorkelling'. The same post warns that the rock 'should not be swum' to because it is a shark area.
Regional context suggests rocky reef with algae, sponges and soft corals, subtropical reef fish, and the bigger fish that attract spearfishers, but no detailed dive description exists.
Conditions on this part of the coast are the main constraint. The Caloundra coast is exposed to the south-east, and the Sea Slug Forum describes local diving as shallow, surgy and mostly dirty, with visibility heavily affected by Pumicestone Passage and the Caloundra bar. Only flat, dry days are worth trying.
Brays Rock is for experienced local divers with a boat and knowledge of the Caloundra bar. Visitors will get a safer and more rewarding experience snorkelling the Kings Beach reef in front of the boat ramp, or diving the Mooloolaba reefs with an operator. Anyone snorkelling the inshore reef towards Brays Rock from Kings Beach should stay close to shore, swim with a buddy and tow a float, and turn back well before the rock itself.
Getting there & entry
Rocky reef off Caloundra north of Kings Beach, with reef extending around and north of the rock; known locally for spearfishing and scuba.
Brays Rock lies off the Caloundra headland north of Kings Beach. Park at Kings Beach (Ormonde Terrace/Kings Beach car parks, near the surf club and saltwater pool). A local divers' forum describes 'nice basic diving and snorkelling' on the reef between the northern end of Kings Beach and Brays Rock, but warns the rock itself 'should not be swum' to as it is a shark area – so boat access, launching at the Caloundra ramps and crossing the Caloundra bar only in calm conditions, is the safer option.
Entry: Long surface swim from the Kings Beach area on flat days, or by small boat
Facilities: Kings Beach car parks, toilets, showers, saltwater pool, cafes; boat ramps in Caloundra
Weather, swell & tides
Caloundra's reefs face east to south-east and take the full force of the south-east trade winds and swell; the Sea Slug Forum describes local diving as 'shallow, surgy and mostly dirty'. Go only on flat days – swell under about 1 m and winds under about 15-20 km/h – ideally with north-westerly to north-easterly winds, which the south-facing Kings Beach shoreline is sheltered from. Visibility falls quickly after rain and on the ebb tide, when Pumicestone Passage drains out past the Caloundra bar; a lower-tide, dry-weather window is recommended for the Kings Beach reef.
The local forum notes open-coast tides run about 1.5 hours before the Brisbane Bar tide times.
Best season: Flat days in winter
How the dive is usually run
From a boat on a flat day, anchor in sand off the rock, explore the reef around and north of it at shallow-to-moderate depth, and return to the anchor. Do not attempt a long surface swim out to the rock.
Marine life
- Subtropical reef fish
- larger fish targeted by spearfishers
- rays
- wobbegongs; sharks reported (not documented in detail) →
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Courses that help here
- Peak Performance Buoyancy – Silt and low visibility punish poor trim.
Depth tiers: 0–10 m easy · to 18 m Open Water · 18–30 m Advanced (25 m+ is a deep dive) · 30–40 m Deep specialty · 40 m+ technical. All courses
Hazards & warnings
Sharks reported around the rock – do not swim out to it; Caloundra bar dangerous; surge and current; poor visibility; spearfishers; boat traffic.
Dive centres that go here
No regular dive operator – local spearfishers, private boats and clubs.
Operators recorded for Brays Rock
Scuba World Mooloolaba
ListedMooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
A Sunshine Coast business combining training, retail and local boat diving including the ex-HMAS Brisbane.
scubaworld.com.au · (07) 5444 8595
Sunreef Mooloolaba
ListedMooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
A Mooloolaba operation closely associated with the ex-HMAS Brisbane wreck alongside local reef diving and training.
sunreef.com.au · (07) 5444 5656
Other dive centres in Sunshine Coast
Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre
ListedPoint Lookout · North Stradbroke Island · QLD
A North Stradbroke Island operation combining accommodation and diving, which makes it structurally different from a suburban Brisbane training centre.
mantalodge.com.au · (07) 3409 8888
SubSurface Scuba
Named by sitesMooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
subsurfacescuba.com · (07) 5493 9097
General area
No position has been published for Brays Rock. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from documented sites across the Sunshine Coast region. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 31 km), from documented sites across the Sunshine Coast region. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Brays Rock: frequently asked questions
What certification do I need to dive Brays Rock?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of surge on the entry or in the shallows, boat traffic overhead.
Can I shore dive Brays Rock?
Experienced divers do dive Brays Rock from the shore, but the entry or conditions make it unsuitable for newer divers without local guidance. Entry: Long surface swim from the Kings Beach area on flat days, or by small boat.
When is the best time to dive Brays Rock?
Flat days in winter.
What marine life will I see at Brays Rock?
Regularly recorded: Subtropical reef fish, larger fish targeted by spearfishers, rays, wobbegongs; sharks reported (not documented in detail).
What wetsuit do I need at Brays Rock?
3 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood June-September.
How cold is the water at Brays Rock?
Typically 25-27 °C in summer and 19-21 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Brays Rock?
Sharks reported around the rock – do not swim out to it; Caloundra bar dangerous; surge and current; poor visibility; spearfishers; boat traffic. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Brays Rock?
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast has one of the best wreck dives in Australia, the ex-HMAS Brisbane, scuttled off Mooloolaba in 2005 with access cut into every deck, plus the Gneerings and Murphys reefs with grey nurse sharks in winter and, further north, Wolf Rock's resident pregnant grey nurse sharks and Flinders Reef's coral gardens off Noosa's doorstep.
Getting there: Ninety minutes north of Brisbane. Charters from Mooloolaba run the Brisbane and the local reefs; Wolf Rock is reached from Rainbow Beach.
Sources
- southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/t2491-caloundra-to-dickies-reef-sites
- seaslugforum.net/find/sunsintr
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Depths and coordinates unverified (v1 values removed).. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
