In the 1980s and 1990s, recreational fishing groups and government placed artificial reefs made of bundled car tyres in several parts of Spencer Gulf to create fish habitat on otherwise featureless seabed. The Marine Life Society records tyre reefs established around Point Lowly at about 18 m, visited by lots of fish but capable of being silty, in an area renowned for strong tides. Tyre reefs are simple structures – stacks or pyramids of tyres, sometimes weighted with concrete – that become colonised by sponges, ascidians and algae over time and attract schooling fish.

Around Point Lowly, snapper, King George whiting, leatherjackets, tommy ruff and trevally use the structures, along with blue swimmer crabs and cuttlefish. They are not attractive dives in the scenic sense, and their value is mainly for divers interested in artificial habitats or fish life. The combination of depth, silt and tidal flow means they are only diveable for a short window at slack water, and visibility can be poor.

Some older tyre reefs in South Australian waters have partly broken up, spreading tyres over the seabed. Divers with a boat in Whyalla will generally find Marek's Reef or the Leeton tug more rewarding, and in winter the cuttlefish at Stony Point dominate everything. If you do dive the tyre reefs, keep well off the bottom to avoid clouding the water, carry an SMB in case the tide turns early, and have a tender on the boat, as drifting divers can be carried quickly past the point into the shipping approaches for Port Bonython.

Whyalla is about 390 km (4-4.5 hours) from Adelaide via Port Wakefield, Port Augusta and the Lincoln Highway, or a 45-minute flight. Launch at the Whyalla marina ramp and run north-east about 30 km to Point Lowly (30-40 minutes), or launch closer from the ramp at Point Lowly/Fitzgerald Bay if conditions allow. Locate the tyre reef with GPS/sounder (marks available from local fishers and Whyalla Dive Shop) and shot it.

Dive only at slack water.

Upper Spencer Gulf has no ocean swell; wind and tide control conditions. Strong southerly and south-westerly winds blow straight up the gulf and raise a short, steep chop, and northerlies stir the shallow water along the northern shores. Tides are large for South Australia (over 2 m on springs) and run hard around Point Lowly and in the shipping channels, so boat sites should be dived at slack water – visibility is often excellent (15-20 m+) at slack and murky when the tide runs.

Winter (May-August) brings the calmest mornings and cold water (11-13°C); summer water reaches the mid-20s but afternoon sea breezes are common. The Marine Life Society notes Point Lowly is renowned for strong tides; the tyre reefs are strictly a slack-water dive.

Descend the shot to the tyre modules at 18 m, circuit the reef slowly without stirring silt, and return to the shot before the tide turns; safety stop on the line.

No regular operator; Whyalla Dive Shop may arrange on request; mainly fished rather than dived.