Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
Round Rock & Nursery Reef
Rainbow Beach, Queensland · near Rainbow Beach
| Depth | 6–16 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat (day trip) |
| Entry | Giant stride or backward roll from boat; descend a mooring or shot line |
| Current | Moderate |
| Visibility | 5-20 m |
| Water | summer 25-27 °C, winter 19-22 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood in winter |
| Best season | Year-round; rays present all year |
| Bottom time | 45 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | Great Sandy Marine Park – Wolf Rock is a Marine National Park (green) zone overlaid by a Grey Nurse Shark designated area in which activities, including diving, are regulated to protect grey nurse sharks and their habitat. The green zone was expanded in May 2024 (6.4 km² to 18 km²) to include Round Rock, The Pinnacles and reef at the base of Double Island Point. No fishing or anchoring on the reef; mooring use authorised only. |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Round Rock & Nursery Reef
Also known as Round Rock, Nursery Reef, Round Bommie
Ray central: 15+ rays on a typical dive around a compact rock monolith in 6-16 m, with a cave at its eastern end.
Near Rainbow Beach · Rainbow Beach, Queensland
- Depth
- 6–16 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Boat ride
- ~35 min
- Water
- 25-27 °C
- Visibility
- 5-20 m
Round Rock & Nursery Reef6–16 m · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Year-round; rays present all year
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 6–16 m
- Typical depth
- 12 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Open Water (10–18 m)
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Offshore
- 1 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~35 min
- Current
- Moderate
- Visibility
- 5-20 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 25-27 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 19-22 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 45 min
- Dive traffic
- Popular (weekly charters)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
3-5 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood in winter
Location
Double Island Point · Rainbow Beach & Cooloola Coast
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Rainbow Beach.
Primary source: wolfrockdive.com.auMarine park & permits
Great Sandy Marine Park – Wolf Rock is a Marine National Park (green) zone overlaid by a Grey Nurse Shark designated area in which activities, including diving, are regulated to protect grey nurse sharks and their habitat. The green zone was expanded in May 2024 (6.4 km² to 18 km²) to include Round Rock, The Pinnacles and reef at the base of Double Island Point. No fishing or anchoring on the reef; mooring use authorised only.
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200.
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Round Rock & Nursery Reef →
A day-by-day plan for Rainbow Beach 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
Round Rock & Nursery Reef is a reef boat dive in Rainbow Beach, QLD, 6–16 m, suited to Open Water divers, moderate current, about 35 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of surge on the entry or in the shallows.
Why dive here
- Ray central: 15+ rays on a typical dive around a compact rock monolith in 6-16 m, with a cave at its eastern end.
- Visibility often reaches 5-20 m.
Conditions to avoid
- Wind over about 20 knots
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
About Round Rock & Nursery Reef
Round Rock is the gentler neighbour to Wolf Rock. Wolf Rock Dive describes Round Rock and Nursery Reef as a smaller site between Wolf Rock and Double Island Point, with a maximum depth of 16 m, that is unsuitable for large groups but excellent for rays: 'on an average dive at Round Rock you should expect to see at least 15 rays'. Cowtail, whip, blotched fantail, shovelnose and leopard rays all feature. Grey nurse sharks are rarely seen here.
Dilly Dally magazine's description of 'Round Bommie' off Rainbow Beach appears to be the same feature: an oval rock monolith about half the size of a football field, rising from 15 m to 6 m out of the sand. Stingrays, flathead, trevally and Queensland gropers gather around it, and a cave at the eastern end shelters more fish. Visibility varies from 5 to 20 m.
The shallower depth, lighter current and compact layout make Round Rock the natural choice for divers who are not ready for Wolf Rock's depth and current, and a good second dive after it. It is also part of the grey nurse shark conservation picture: the Queensland Government's May 2024 expansion of the Wolf Rock Marine National Park zone took in Round Rock and surrounding reef, so the site is now fully protected.
For divers visiting Rainbow Beach, Round Rock offers an easier introduction to the Double Island Point reefs, with a very high chance of close ray encounters on the sand, while the more experienced members of the group head to Wolf Rock.
Getting there & entry
Small rocky reef between Wolf Rock and Double Island Point, rising from about 15-16 m to around 6 m; known for large numbers of rays. Now inside the expanded Marine National Park zone.
Rainbow Beach is about 2.5 hours' drive north of Brisbane (via the Bruce Highway and Gympie, then the Rainbow Beach Road). Wolf Rock Dive Centre's trips meet at the shop in Rainbow Beach at 8 am; boats launch from the Carlo Point boat ramp on Tin Can Bay inlet, a few minutes' drive north-west of town, and cross the Wide Bay Bar before running south-east along the coast to Double Island Point – about 40 minutes to Wolf Rock. Trips return around 2-2.30 pm.
Round Rock lies between Wolf Rock and Double Island Point, so it is a slightly shorter run and is used by Wolf Rock Dive as an alternative or second dive when conditions or group experience make Wolf Rock unsuitable.
Entry: Giant stride or backward roll from boat; descend a mooring or shot line
Facilities: Departure: Carlo Point boat ramp; Wolf Rock Dive Centre shop in Rainbow Beach
Weather, swell & tides
The Rainbow Beach sites sit off the exposed Cooloola coast with no shelter from south-easterly trade winds or easterly swell, and every trip must also cross the Wide Bay Bar, one of the most dangerous bar crossings in Queensland. Wolf Rock Dive cancels when waves exceed about 1.8 m or winds exceed about 20 knots. North-westerly and westerly winds (common on winter mornings) produce the flattest seas.
Currents are strongest in summer and can run hard over the pinnacles; visibility is highly unpredictable (5-50 m, averaging 10-15 m) and drops after easterly blows. Water ranges from about 27°C in February to 19°C in August. Humpback whales pass June-October.
Best season: Year-round; rays present all year
How the dive is usually run
Descend onto the rock and circle it slowly at 12-15 m around the sand edge, where the rays rest, then check the cave at the eastern end before finishing on top of the rock at 6-8 m. Ascend on the line or an SMB.
Marine life
- Cowtail stingrays
- whiprays
- blotched fantail rays
- shovelnose rays
- leopard rays
- flathead
- trevally
- Queensland gropers
- reef fish; grey nurse sharks occasionally →
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Within the 18 m limit of an entry-level certification.
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
Surge in swell; current; small site – crowding; Wide Bay Bar crossing; Marine National Park zone rules.
Dive centres that go here
Wolf Rock Dive Centre (Rainbow Beach) – daily double-dive charters (weather permitting) from Carlo Point, maximum 10 divers split into two guided groups; the only regular operator at these sites.
Operators recorded for Round Rock & Nursery Reef
General area
No position has been published for Round Rock & Nursery Reef. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Rainbow Beach. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 3 km), from other documented sites near Rainbow Beach. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Round Rock & Nursery Reef: frequently asked questions
How deep is Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
Round Rock & Nursery Reef reaches a maximum depth of 16 m, with the shallowest part at about 6 m; most of the dive is spent around 12 m.
What certification do I need to dive Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of surge on the entry or in the shallows.
Can I shore dive Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
No, it is reached by boat (about 35 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
Year-round; rays present all year.
What marine life will I see at Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
Regularly recorded: Cowtail stingrays, whiprays, blotched fantail rays, shovelnose rays, leopard rays, flathead, trevally, Queensland gropers, reef fish; grey nurse sharks occasionally.
What wetsuit do I need at Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
3-5 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood in winter.
How cold is the water at Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
Typically 25-27 °C in summer and 19-22 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
Surge in swell; current; small site – crowding; Wide Bay Bar crossing; Marine National Park zone rules. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Round Rock & Nursery Reef?
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Rainbow Beach
Rainbow Beach exists on the dive map for one reason: Wolf Rock, four volcanic pinnacles off Double Island Point that are the only known gestation site for grey nurse sharks on the east coast, with pregnant females present year-round, plus eagle rays, bull rays and wobbegongs in strong current.
Getting there: Three hours north of Brisbane. One dive operator launches from Rainbow Beach; the crossing to Wolf Rock takes about 20 minutes.
Sources
- wolfrockdive.com.au/dive-sites
- dillydallymag.co/diving-rainbow-beach
- parks.qld.gov.au/parks/great-sandy-marine/about/culture/grey-nurse-sharks
Data confidence: Medium · Being verified: Position not published; identity of 'Round Bommie' (Dilly Dally) with Round Rock assumed.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
