Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Rosswall
Brisbane & Moreton Bay, Queensland · near Brisbane (Scarborough / Manly); Bulwer, Moreton Island
| Depth | 18–25 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Access | Boat (day trip) |
| Entry | Giant stride or back roll from charter boat |
| Current | Variable/Tidal |
| Visibility | 15-20 m |
| Water | summer 24-27 °C, winter 19-21 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm full wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm with hood in winter |
| Best season | Year-round; winter (May-October) usually brings the clearest water and calmest mornings |
| Bottom time | 30 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | Moreton Bay Marine Park – check current zoning map |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Service (Herston, Brisbane); Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine (Auchenflower, Brisbane) as alternative |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Rosswall
Also known as Ross Wall
A lightly dived coral-covered wall with overhangs and caves off northern Moreton Island.
Near Brisbane (Scarborough / Manly); Bulwer, Moreton Island · Brisbane & Moreton Bay, Queensland
- Depth
- 18–25 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 24-27 °C
- Visibility
- 15-20 m
Rosswall18–25 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: May, June, July, August, September, October.
Year-round; winter (May-October) usually brings the clearest water and calmest mornings
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 18–25 m
- Typical depth
- 22 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Current
- Variable/Tidal
- Visibility
- 15-20 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 24-27 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 19-21 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 30 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
3-5 mm full wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm with hood in winter
Location
Northern Moreton reefs · Brisbane – Moreton Island (outer)
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Brisbane ; Bulwer.
Primary source: adreno.com.auMarine park & permits
Moreton Bay Marine Park – check current zoning map
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Service (Herston, Brisbane); Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine (Auchenflower, Brisbane) as alternative
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Rosswall →
A day-by-day plan for Brisbane & Moreton Bay 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
Rosswall is a wall boat dive in Brisbane & Moreton Bay, QLD, 18–25 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, variable/tidal current.
Rated advanced because of depth beyond 18 m, tidal current that must be timed.
Why dive here
- A lightly dived coral-covered wall with overhangs and caves off northern Moreton Island.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
- Visibility often reaches 15-20 m.
Conditions to avoid
- Swell above about 1.5 m
- Wind over about 15 knots
- Afternoon north-easterlies
About Rosswall
Rosswall is one of the lesser-known outer Moreton Island sites and is documented only briefly, described by the Adreno regional guide as a recently discovered site suited to advanced divers. It is a wall and reef dive with an average depth of about 22 m and a maximum of 25 m, with overhangs and small caves along its face. What sets it apart from many of the granite outcrops of the northern Moreton reefs is its coral growth: plate corals are prominent, giving it more of a reef character than the kelp-covered walls on the island's eastern side.
Fish life includes trumpetfish, angelfish, fusiliers and squirrelfish around the overhangs, with painted crayfish in the cracks and pelagic species passing along the wall. Like the other outer sites it is open to the ocean, so a drift may be the most practical way to dive it when the current is running, while on slack days the boat can anchor or hold station and divers can explore the caves at leisure. Visibility is typically around 15 m.
Because it is not a regular charter destination, divers are most likely to visit it on a club trip or a special outer-reefs day. Anyone planning a private-boat dive should obtain the mark from local operators, check marine park zoning and treat it as an advanced, exposed site. It is a good choice for divers who have done Flinders Reef and Cementco several times and want something less visited within the same area.
Water temperatures follow the rest of the outer Moreton sites, around 24-27°C in summer and 19-21°C in winter.
Getting there & entry
Recently discovered wall and reef site off northern Moreton Island, averaging 22 m, listed among the outer Moreton sites.
Boat access only. Brisbane charters leave from Manly Boat Harbour (Brisbane Scuba departs from the corner of Royal Esplanade and Davenport Drive, Manly) or from Scarborough Boat Harbour on the Redcliffe Peninsula, crossing Moreton Bay and running out through the North West Channel past Bulwer and Comboyuro Point to the northern tip of Moreton Island. Allow roughly 75-90 minutes from Manly in good conditions.
Sunshine Coast operators run south from The Wharf, Mooloolaba, in about 45 minutes. Private boats typically launch at Scarborough or Bribie Island; the open-water crossing around Cape Moreton is exposed and should only be attempted in settled weather with local knowledge.
Entry: Giant stride or back roll from charter boat
Facilities: Departure facilities at Manly or Scarborough boat harbours.
Weather, swell & tides
An exposed outer-Moreton site. Easterly or north-easterly swell over about 1.5 m and winds over 15 knots rule it out, and the crossing around Cape Moreton requires settled weather. It can be dived either as a drift or anchored depending on the current.
Visibility averages about 15 m and is best in winter after westerly winds. Afternoon north-easterly sea breezes in summer often make the return trip rough, so morning departures are preferred.
Best season: Year-round; winter (May-October) usually brings the clearest water and calmest mornings
How the dive is usually run
Descend to the wall top around 18-20 m, follow the wall at about 22 m looking into the overhangs and caves, and either drift with the current or turn at half gas and return to the line. Ascend with a DSMB if drifting.
Marine life
- Trumpetfish
- angelfish
- fusiliers
- squirrelfish
- painted crayfish
- pelagic fish
- plate corals
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Beyond 18 m an Advanced certification (which includes a deep dive to 30 m) is the accepted minimum. Anything past 25 m is a deep dive in practice.
Courses that help here
- Cavern Diver – An overhead environment.
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
Depth to 25 m; exposed open ocean; variable current – carry a DSMB; long crossing; little published information.
Dive centres that go here
No regular scheduled trips found; visited occasionally by Brisbane operators and clubs on outer-Moreton days when conditions are good.
Operators recorded for Rosswall
Scuba World Mooloolaba
ListedMooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
A Sunshine Coast business combining training, retail and local boat diving including the ex-HMAS Brisbane.
scubaworld.com.au · (07) 5444 8595
Sunreef Mooloolaba
ListedMooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
A Mooloolaba operation closely associated with the ex-HMAS Brisbane wreck alongside local reef diving and training.
sunreef.com.au · (07) 5444 5656
Brisbane Scuba
ListedManly · Brisbane & Moreton Bay · QLD
A Brisbane training and service business supporting the local resident diving population.
brisbanescuba.au · 0418 736 738
Brisbane Dive Academy
ListedTingalpa · Brisbane & Moreton Bay · QLD
A Brisbane training operation focused on recreational certification and continuing education.
brisbanediveacademy.com.au · (07) 3890 0342
Go Dive Brisbane
ListedWindsor · Brisbane & Moreton Bay · QLD
A Brisbane business combining training, equipment retail and service support for local divers.
godive.com.au · (07) 3857 7255
Other dive centres in Brisbane & Moreton Bay
Tangalooma Island Resort
ListedMoreton Island · Brisbane & Moreton Bay · QLD
A Moreton Island resort with diving and snorkelling access to the Tangalooma wrecks, a shallow, sheltered artificial reef system.
tangalooma.com/shops-services/dive-watersports · 1300 652 250
ADRENO Brisbane
ListedBrisbane · Brisbane & Moreton Bay · QLD
A large equipment retailer with a strong spearfishing and freediving emphasis alongside scuba equipment. This is primarily a retail business rather than a training centre.
adreno.com.au
Dive Dive Dive
ListedTingalpa · Brisbane & Moreton Bay · QLD
A long-standing Brisbane business associated with technical training alongside recreational courses, retail and servicing. Technical capability should be audited service by service rather than assumed.
divedivedive.com.au · (07) 3890 4443
DiversWorld
ListedCairns · Cairns · QLD
A Queensland equipment and service business. Current retail range, servicing capability and any training should be verified directly.
diversworld.com.au · (07) 4041 4004
Professional Dive Services
Named by sitesBrisbane · Brisbane & Moreton Bay · QLD
Brisbane-based dive training business that runs Torres Strait / Ribbon Reef expeditions aboard MV Kalinda; not based in the Torres Strait.
professionaldiveservices.com.au · 0457 007 040
General area
No position has been published for Rosswall. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Brisbane ; Bulwer. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 6 km), from other documented sites near Brisbane ; Bulwer. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Rosswall: frequently asked questions
How deep is Rosswall?
Rosswall reaches a maximum depth of 25 m, with the shallowest part at about 18 m; most of the dive is spent around 22 m.
What certification do I need to dive Rosswall?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated advanced because of depth beyond 18 m, tidal current that must be timed.
Can I shore dive Rosswall?
No, it is reached by boat. A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Rosswall?
Year-round; winter (May-October) usually brings the clearest water and calmest mornings.
What marine life will I see at Rosswall?
Regularly recorded: Trumpetfish, angelfish, fusiliers, squirrelfish, painted crayfish, pelagic fish, plate corals.
What wetsuit do I need at Rosswall?
3-5 mm full wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm with hood in winter.
How cold is the water at Rosswall?
Typically 24-27 °C in summer and 19-21 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Rosswall?
Depth to 25 m; exposed open ocean; variable current – carry a DSMB; long crossing; little published information. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Rosswall?
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Service (Herston, Brisbane); Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine (Auchenflower, Brisbane) as alternative. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Brisbane & Moreton Bay
Brisbane's diving is better than most visitors expect. Flinders Reef, off the northern tip of Moreton Island, has more coral species than many outer-reef sites and resident turtles and wobbegongs; the Tangalooma Wrecks are 15 scuttled vessels you can snorkel from the beach; the Curtin Artificial Reef is a 30-year collection of scuttled boats and cars off Cowan; and Cherubs Cave and Henderson Rock on the east side of Moreton hold grey nurse sharks in winter.
Getting there: Charters from Scarborough, Manly and Brisbane's bayside run Flinders and the east-side sites; Tangalooma is reached by ferry or from the resort.
All Brisbane & Moreton Bay dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Location/coordinates not published; name spelling and exact position need confirmation with Brisbane operators.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction









