Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Dangerous Reef
Eyre Peninsula, South Australia · near Port Lincoln
| Depth | Depth not published |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Snorkel/Any |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Access | Boat (day trip) |
| Entry | Not a recreational dive – viewing from boats only |
| Current | Strong |
| Visibility | 5-15 m |
| Water | summer 17-20 °C, winter 13-15 °C |
| Suit | 5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter |
| Best season | n/a |
| Position | -34.81500, 136.21500 (approximate) |
| Permit | Protected island (landing by permit only); marine park zoning – no recreational diving |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – evacuation via RFDS Central Operations aeromedical retrieval from the nearest airstrip |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Dangerous Reef
The historic white shark cage-diving and filming site of the 1970s, now a protected pinniped breeding colony with no recreational diving.
Near Port Lincoln · Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Minimum level
- Snorkel/Any
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Boat ride
- ~50 min
- Water
- 17-20 °C
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
Dangerous ReefDepth not published · Snorkel/Any
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Dive facts
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Certification
- Snorkel/Any
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Offshore
- 30 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – permit/guide required
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~50 min
- Current
- Strong
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 17-20 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 13-15 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Dive traffic
- Remote/expedition only
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter
Location
Spencer Gulf – off Port Lincoln · Eyre Peninsula – Port Lincoln / Lower Eyre
-34.81500, 136.21500
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
Protected island (landing by permit only); marine park zoning – no recreational diving
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – evacuation via RFDS Central Operations aeromedical retrieval from the nearest airstrip
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Dangerous Reef →
A day-by-day plan for Eyre Peninsula 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
Dangerous Reef is a island boat dive in Eyre Peninsula, SA, suitable for snorkellers and first-time divers, strong current, about 50 minutes by boat.
Rated advanced because of strong current, cold water.
Why dive here
- The historic white shark cage-diving and filming site of the 1970s, now a protected pinniped breeding colony with no recreational diving.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
About Dangerous Reef
Dangerous Reef is a low, flat reef-island in lower Spencer Gulf south-east of Port Lincoln that holds a special place in shark-diving history. The Marine Life Society describes it as a key hunting ground for great white sharks and one of the world centres for shark cage diving, adding that shark visits were intermittent – several on one trip, none on another. In the 1970s it was the site of pioneering white shark filming, including footage associated with Jaws, and of early cage-diving expeditions.
The island supports a major breeding colony of pinnipeds. The Society calls it the second largest breeding colony of fur seals in Australia; the colony is also widely recognised as one of the most important breeding sites for the endangered Australian sea lion. The seals and sea lions are what attract the sharks.
Today, landing is prohibited without a permit and, as the Society notes, there is no reef diving at the island. White shark cage diving in South Australia is licensed only at the Neptune Islands, so Dangerous Reef is not a recreational dive site. It is included in this directory for its historical significance and to make clear to readers that it is not a site to plan a dive around.
Boat-based wildlife viewing from a respectful distance may be possible in calm weather, but operators today focus on the Neptunes and on sea lion swims at Hopkins, Grindal and Blyth islands.
Getting there & entry
Low, flat reef-island about 30 km south-east of Port Lincoln in Spencer Gulf, hosting a major pinniped breeding colony and historically a key white shark cage-diving and filming site; landing prohibited and no recreational reef diving.
Port Lincoln is about 650 km (7 hours) by road from Adelaide via Port Augusta and the Lincoln Highway, or a 45-50 minute flight (Rex/QantasLink). Dangerous Reef lies roughly 30 km south-east of Port Lincoln, about 45-60 minutes by boat from Lincoln Cove Marina. Landing is prohibited without a permit, and there is no reef diving at the island; today white shark cage diving is conducted at the Neptune Islands instead.
Entry: Not a recreational dive – viewing from boats only
Facilities: None.
Weather, swell & tides
Dangerous Reef is low-lying and completely exposed in the middle of lower Spencer Gulf, with strong tidal streams and wind-driven seas. It offers no shelter. Only relevant for boat-based wildlife viewing in calm conditions.
Winds over about 15 knots from any direction make the run from Port Lincoln uncomfortable, and south-westerly fronts can raise dangerous seas in lower Spencer Gulf within hours. There is no swell protection and no safe anchorage.
Best season: n/a
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Dangerous Reef doesn't.
- Stickney Island · 15 km · Max 12 m
- Degei Wreck · 21 km · Max 11 m
- Taylors Island · 21 km · Max 12 m
- Cape Donington · 23 km · Max 12 m
How the dive is usually run
Not dived. Wildlife viewing from a boat at a respectful distance only.
Marine life
- Australian sea lions (major breeding colony) →
- fur seals →
- great white sharks (historically studied here)
- seabirds
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Courses that help here
- Drift Diver – Current is a feature of the dive.
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
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
Landing prohibited without permit; no reef diving; white sharks; exposed open-water location.
Dive centres that go here
No dive operators; historically used by white shark film crews and early cage operators (1970s-80s). Not currently a recreational dive site.
Other dive centres in Eyre Peninsula
Calypso Star Charters
ListedPort Lincoln · Eyre Peninsula · SA
A Port Lincoln operation running great white shark cage experiences and sea lion swims. Classified as wildlife tourism rather than a scuba dive centre.
sharkcagediving.com.au · 1300 788 378
The Dive Shop Port Lincoln
ListedPort Lincoln · Eyre Peninsula · SA
A Port Lincoln business providing equipment, fills and dive services — a conventional dive business distinct from the region's cage tourism operators.
thediveshopportlincoln.com.au · (08) 8682 1656
Coffin Bay Scuba Co
Named by sitesCoffin Bay · Eyre Peninsula · SA
Website blocked fetch; phone from Tripadvisor listing (latest review 2023).
coffinbayscuba.com · 0401 811 020
Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience
Named by sitesBaird Bay · Eyre Peninsula · SA
Sea lion and dolphin swim tours (snorkel), not a scuba operator.
bairdbay.com · (08) 8351 1489
Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions
Named by sitesMile End · Eyre Peninsula · SA
Office in Adelaide; expeditions depart Port Lincoln.
rodneyfox.com.au · (08) 8363 1788
Tumby Bay charters
Named by sitesTumby Bay · Eyre Peninsula · SA
No dive charter operator found in Tumby Bay; only fishing charters located.
All dive centres in South Australia →
Operators mentioned: None (shark cage diving now at Neptune Islands)
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Dangerous Reef: frequently asked questions
What certification do I need to dive Dangerous Reef?
No certification is needed to snorkel it, and it suits introductory dives. Rated advanced because of strong current, cold water.
Can I shore dive Dangerous Reef?
No, it is reached by boat (about 50 minutes). A dive centre is required: permit/guide required.
When is the best time to dive Dangerous Reef?
n/a.
What marine life will I see at Dangerous Reef?
Regularly recorded: Australian sea lions (major breeding colony), fur seals, great white sharks (historically studied here), seabirds.
What wetsuit do I need at Dangerous Reef?
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter.
How cold is the water at Dangerous Reef?
Typically 17-20 °C in summer and 13-15 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Dangerous Reef?
Landing prohibited without permit; no reef diving; white sharks; exposed open-water location. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Dangerous Reef?
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – evacuation via RFDS Central Operations aeromedical retrieval from the nearest airstrip. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Eyre Peninsula
Port Lincoln is the base for Australia's only great white shark cage diving at the Neptune Islands, and for sea lion swims at Hopkins Island and Baird Bay. Around the peninsula's coast are the Port Lincoln jetties, Tumby Bay, the wreck of the Fides and a great deal of clear, cold, unvisited reef.
Getting there: Fly to Port Lincoln or drive seven hours from Adelaide. Shark and sea lion operators run from Port Lincoln and Baird Bay; jetties are shore dives.
Sources
Data confidence: Medium · Being verified: Coordinates approximate; MLSSA's 'fur seal' description vs Australian sea lion colony to confirm.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
More island dives in South Australia
Explore more
This region