Scawfell Island is one of the larger and more rugged islands of the South Cumberland Islands National Park, with granite cliffs and patches of rainforest. The Marine Life Network notes Refuge Bay, on the island's north side, with a beach and coral, as a popular anchorage offering protection from south-easterly winds. For divers, Refuge Bay's appeal is shelter and convenience: yachts and boats anchor here in the prevailing trades, and the coral along the bay offers easy snorkelling and shallow diving.

Expect a fringing reef of hard corals with reef fish, turtles and rays, in the modest visibility typical of the Mackay islands; offshore, the island's granite shores may hold more structure, though they are not documented in the sources reviewed. Tidal currents are strong through the Cumberland Islands because of Mackay's large tidal range, so dives should be timed for slack water, and the bay is exposed if the wind swings north. Neighbouring Cockermouth Island, with tidal lagoons on its western side, is occasionally visited by charter boats.

Scawfell has no facilities, and no dive operator runs trips here. It is a destination for self-sufficient boaters from Mackay or yachts cruising between Mackay and the Whitsundays. National park camping and landing rules apply ashore, so check QPWS requirements before going ashore or camping on the beach.

Boat only. Scawfell Island lies roughly 50 km north-east of Mackay in the South Cumberland Islands National Park. Launch at the Mackay Harbour ramp or leave from Mackay Marina and allow about 1–1.5 hours by fast boat; yachts use Refuge Bay on the island's northern side as an anchorage sheltered from south-easterly winds.

There is no ferry, no facilities and no dive operator; bring all gear and fills from Mackay.

Mackay has the largest tidal range on the Great Barrier Reef coast (springs exceed 6 m), so tidal streams around the Cumberland Islands and in passages such as Egremont Passage are strong and visibility is closely tied to the tide – dive neap tides at slack water. The south-east trades (15–25 knots April–September) make crossings rough; the calmest windows are the build-up months (September–December) and winter lulls. Visibility is typically 5–12 m inshore, often worse after wind or wet-season rain (January–April) from the Pioneer River and local creeks.

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). Cyclone Hamish (2009) and Cyclone Debbie (2017) affected reefs in the region.

Refuge Bay is protected from south-easterlies but exposed to northerlies.

From the anchorage, snorkel or dive the coral along the bay's edges at 3–10 m, staying close to the reef and returning to the boat at slack water.

No regular dive-charter operator currently runs scheduled trips in the Mackay region; divers use private boats, club trips (local dive clubs) and occasional charter boats from Mackay Marina. Nearest dive shops and fills in Mackay.