The Karma is widely considered one of the best wreck dives on the southern Queensland coast. She was a 42 m, 450-tonne gravel barge that suffered engine failure and ran aground south of Agnes Water; after salvage she was deliberately sunk in December 2003 in about 26-27 m of water on sand, roughly 28 nm north-west of Bundaberg and 15 nm south of 1770.

She sits upright and largely intact, which makes her easy to understand underwater. Bundaberg Tourism describes a large hold, a crane boom, a two-level bridge structure, cabins and an engine room open to exploration, and Dave Harasti notes that she 'allows for excellent penetration', with the hold and wheelhouse both accessible. Because the wreck was relatively clean when sunk, the open spaces are straightforward for trained divers, though they should still be treated as overhead environments.

The fish life is the reason people make the long run. Harasti describes giant estuary cod stationed at the propeller and crane, schools of golden and big-eye trevally, and large leopard rays on the sand. Bundaberg Tourism adds barracuda, snapper, batfish, gropers, stingrays, wobbegongs, sea snakes, turtles, moray eels, octopus and nudibranchs. Two decades of growth now cover the steel with sponges and soft corals.

The Karma's depth puts most of the wreck beyond Open Water limits, so Advanced certification and nitrox are sensible, and wreck training is needed for any penetration. Because she lies in open water far from either port, trips depend on a calm weather window and are run only occasionally – but for divers who catch one, the combination of an intact, upright wreck and dense schools of big fish is hard to beat in this part of Queensland.

The Karma can be reached from either end. From Bundaberg, launch at Burnett Heads boat ramp (15 km north-east of Bundaberg) and run about 28 nm north-west along the coast – allow 60-90 minutes in a trailer boat. From the north, launch at the Seventeen Seventy ramp on Round Hill Creek and run about 15 nm south past Agnes Water (roughly 40-60 minutes); the Round Hill Creek bar should be crossed on the top half of the tide.

Marinelife.org.au gives the position as -24.3665, 152.2211. Drop a shot or anchor in sand beside the wreck; there is no mooring. Bundaberg Aqua Scuba has offered Karma trips from Bundaberg when conditions allow.

These offshore sites lie north of the protection of K'gari and are exposed to the south-east trade winds that blow for much of the year, so they need a calm spell – winds under about 12-15 knots and seas under 1-1.5 m – for a small boat to make the run and anchor safely. North-westerly and westerly winds in winter give the flattest seas and the best visibility (up to 30-40 m on the outer wrecks). The wrecks are tidal: plan to dive at high-water slack, and prefer neap tides, as the current can run hard across open sand on springs.

The Round Hill Creek and Turkey Beach bars are shallow and dangerous on a low tide with swell. Summer brings northerly sea breezes, storms and cyclone risk (November-April).

Descend the shot to the deck or crane at 16-20 m, then tour the exterior: along the hull to the stern and propeller (where the big cod sit), up over the two-level bridge, and along the crane boom. Wreck-trained divers can enter the open hold and wheelhouse. Keep to no-deco limits (nitrox recommended), return to the shot on a third of gas and complete a safety stop on the line.

Nitrox (EAN28-32) extends bottom time. Hold and wheelhouse are open but still overhead environments – wreck training required.

Bundaberg Aqua Scuba – occasional boat trips from Bundaberg (Burnett Heads) when weather allows; Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770 – wreck dives on demand from 1770; otherwise private boats.