Gleaner Reef is named after a fishing vessel wrecked on it and lies off Bryans Beach at the southern tip of the Freycinet Peninsula, with Schouten Island and its granite mountains as a backdrop. The Marine Life Network guide rates it 6 out of 10: a shallow reef of 5-10 m with a good variety of seaweeds, reef fish, trumpeter, Australian salmon and mackerel, reached after a lengthy boat journey.

Little of the Gleaner itself is described, and divers should not expect a recognisable wreck. The attraction is the weed garden and the fish that school over it, set in one of the most scenic parts of the Tasmanian coast. The reef is a convenient stop on the way to or from Schouten Island, and a reasonable second dive after the deeper sites on the island's eastern side.

It suits Open Water divers who are part of a self-sufficient boat party.

Schouten Island is part of Freycinet National Park. Its granite and dolerite peaks rise to over 400 m, and the island has no permanent residents, jetty or facilities apart from a Parks hut and campsite at Moreys Bay, so divers visit with self-contained boats. The island's sites were described in detail in the Marine Life Network regional guide, but few have been documented since; with no operator currently running trips, they are among the least-dived good sites in Tasmania.

A typical Schouten day combines one deeper dive on the exposed eastern or southern side with a shallow second dive in a sheltered bay, choosing sides according to the swell. Because the island is at least 45 minutes from the Coles Bay ramp and more than four hours by road and boat from the Royal Hobart Hospital chamber, conservative profiles, oxygen on board and a reliable weather window are essential.

Coles Bay is 30 minutes south of the Tasman Highway via the C302 (turn off 12 km south of Bicheno), about 2 hr 45 min from Hobart and 2 hr 30 min from Launceston. The main public boat ramp is at Coles Bay township; boats reaching the ocean side of the peninsula or Schouten Island need a seaworthy vessel, as the run around Cape Degerando or through Schouten Passage is exposed. Gleaner Reef is near Bryans Beach at the southern tip of the peninsula, a lengthy run (about 30-45 minutes) south from Coles Bay along the western shore.

Bryans Beach can also be reached on foot by a long walk from the Wineglass Bay/Hazards Beach track, but not practically with scuba gear.

The reef is exposed to southerly swell through Schouten Passage and to strong westerlies across Great Oyster Bay. It is sheltered from easterlies. Wind against tide in the passage creates short steep seas on the run south.

Rain washes tannin-stained runoff into Great Oyster Bay, and summer afternoons commonly bring a fresh north-easterly sea breeze, so plan dives for the morning.

Drop on the reef at 5-6 m and explore the weed-covered reef out to about 10 m, then return shallower. A relaxed shallow dive; keep an eye out for passing schools of salmon and mackerel. Turn the dive at half gas (thirds where current or overhead sections are involved), deploy an SMB before surfacing for the live-boat pick-up, and complete a 3-minute safety stop at about 5 m where depth allows.

No dedicated dive operator at Coles Bay or Freycinet. Sites are dived from private boats and occasional club expeditions (Tas Uni Dive Club, TSDC, Launceston clubs); the Marine Life Network guide notes that Coles Bay is the usual starting point for Schouten Island charters. Cruise and kayak operators in Coles Bay do not offer scuba.