Cape Queen Elizabeth is a prominent headland on North Bruny's east coast, just north of The Neck – the narrow isthmus that joins North and South Bruny and is famous for its little penguin rookery and lookout. The headland is a popular walk, with views across Storm Bay, and its dolerite cliffs continue underwater as reef and walls. Expect kelp and brown algae in the shallows, giving way to sponge-covered rock faces and boulders deeper down, with typical reef fish such as blue-throated wrasse, leatherjackets, magpie and banded morwong and bastard trumpeter, and rock lobster in the cracks.

Fur seals and dolphins travel this coast. The site is exposed to Storm Bay swell and is best on calm westerly days. It is rarely dived and requires a boat; divers visiting Bruny who want an easier option should consider the sites around Adventure Bay.

Treat depths and details as provisional and scout with a sounder. The Neck's little penguin rookery, where birds come ashore at dusk in the warmer months, is a worthwhile evening stop after a day's diving; follow the boardwalk rules and use red light only. Carry a sounder and a VHF radio.

Bruny Island is reached by the vehicle ferry from Kettering (about 35 km, 40 minutes south of Hobart via the Southern Outlet and Channel Highway) to Roberts Point on North Bruny; the crossing takes about 20 minutes and runs frequently, but book or queue early in summer. From Roberts Point drive south to The Neck (about 25 minutes). A walking track leads from near The Neck to Cape Queen Elizabeth, but carrying dive gear is impractical; dive by boat from Adventure Bay (about 20-30 minutes north) or from the Barnes Bay/Dennes Point side around the north of the island.

There are no fills on Bruny; bring filled cylinders from Hobart.

Cape Queen Elizabeth faces east into Storm Bay and is exposed to easterly and southerly swell. Westerly winds give calm water in its lee. Southerly groundswell entering Storm Bay makes the site rough and reduces visibility; dive after several calm days.

Late summer and autumn are most reliable. Visibility is typically 8-15 m on calm days but can fall to a few metres after a southerly blow or heavy rain in the Derwent catchment. Afternoon sea breezes add chop for the return run.

Descend at the base of the headland, follow the reef and wall down to 20-25 m, then rise along the cliff through the kelp for the safety stop.

No scheduled dive operator on Bruny; Underwater Adventures Tasmania runs South Bruny and Channel boat trips from Hobart; otherwise private boats from Adventure Bay. Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (Bruny Island Cruises) visits the coast by boat for sightseeing, not diving.