The House Mooring is a boat dive off the south-western tip of Pelorus Island, where a beautiful sandy beach meets a shallow reef wall. The North Queensland Underwater Explorers Club records a private mooring in about 10 m of water; boats should check its condition before use and remember it is not a public mooring. The highlight is a giant clam colony on the reef, together with a good selection of reef invertebrates: Christmas tree worms in the coral heads, feather stars, nudibranchs, painted crayfish and cleaner shrimps.

Pelagic fish pass along the reef from the channel, adding occasional excitement to what is otherwise a gentle, shallow dive. The club notes that coral is sparse near the mangrove shore, so divers should head along the reef wall away from the mangroves for the best growth. Lost fishing tackle is common, reflecting the Habitat Protection zoning and the popularity of the Palms with anglers.

The mooring's position on the south-western corner puts it at the edge of the Orpheus–Pelorus channel, so it complements the channel dives (Western Edge and Ray's Lump) and gives a sheltered option in south-easterly weather. Depths are modest, current is usually mild and the site suits Open Water divers and snorkellers. As with all Palm Island sites, there are no facilities and no regular operator: this is a dive for private boats and club trips, and occasionally for Orpheus Island Lodge charters.

Visibility of 6–12 m is typical. It is not a headline site, but the clams and invertebrates make it a pleasant second dive after a channel drift.

Boat only. The Palm Island group lies 20–25 km off the coast between Townsville and Ingham. The quickest access is from the Lucinda or Dungeness boat ramps near Ingham (about 1 hour 20 minutes' drive north of Townsville via the Bruce Highway), from which a small boat reaches Orpheus and Pelorus in about 30–45 minutes across Halifax Bay; Taylors Beach ramp is an alternative.

From Townsville the run is roughly 1.5–2 hours. Orpheus Island Lodge guests arrive by helicopter or seaplane and dive from the lodge's boats. Campers on Orpheus (QPWS permit) and Pelorus (self-sufficient, Hinchinbrook Shire Council) usually arrive by private boat or water taxi.

Use public moorings where available and check no-anchoring areas. The House Mooring sits off the south-western tip of Pelorus above a sandy beach; it is a private mooring, so check its condition and ownership before tying up, or anchor on sand nearby.

The Palms are high continental islands, so some shore always offers a lee, but the Orpheus–Pelorus channel and exposed points are hit by the south-east trades (15–25 knots, April–September) and by strong tidal streams – springs can produce currents that make the points undiveable except at slack water. Visibility is typically 6–10 m and reaches 15 m in the winter channel; it falls after strong winds and during the wet season (January–April) when the Herbert River floods discolour the water. The calmest, clearest conditions come in the October–December build-up.

Marine stinger season (box jellyfish and Irukandji) runs roughly November to May – wear a full-length stinger suit or wetsuit with hood and gloves, carry vinegar. Cyclone season November–April; tropical lows and cyclones can close sites and damage coral (TC Yasi 2011, TC Debbie 2017).

Descend the mooring to 10 m, follow the shallow reef wall with the giant clam colony, keeping away from the sparse mangrove-side coral, and return along the wall top.

Orpheus Island Lodge – private dive charters for guests to local reefs (minutes away) and the outer reef (~75 min), plus Discover Scuba shore dives; otherwise private boats from Lucinda/Taylors Beach, campers and NQUEC club trips. No scheduled public dive trips.