The Tangalooma Wrecks are the most famous snorkel site in South East Queensland and a very good shallow dive. Between 1963 and 1984 the Queensland Government scuttled 15 vessels in a line just north of what is now Tangalooma Island Resort to create a safe anchorage for recreational boats on the eastern side of Moreton Bay – five in 1963, five in the 1970s and five in the 1980s. Most are old Harbours and Marine Department steam dredges and barges, including the Maryborough (built in 1885 and in service for about 80 years), the bucket dredge Platypus II and the Prussian-built suction dredge Remora, alongside the Uki, Bream, Seal, Dolphin, Morwong, Kookaburra, Bermagui, Iceberg, Echeneis, Pelican, Groper and Stingaree.

Many hulls sit half out of the water, so from the surface they look like a row of rusting ships, while underneath they form walls of steel, large propellers and overhangs in water no deeper than about 12 m. The resort reports more than 100 fish species. Snorkellers see clouds of baitfish, trevally, kingfish, yellowtail and bream around the hulls, with coral and sponge growth colouring the steel.

Divers exploring the seaward side find wobbegong sharks under the hulls, moray eels, lionfish and stonefish, and there are swim-throughs beneath some of the vessels for experienced divers. Dolphins, turtles and dugongs are occasionally seen in the area, and cormorants hunt among the wrecks alongside divers. Because the site is sheltered by the island it is often diveable when the ocean coast is not, and it is ideal for snorkellers, children, new divers and photographers.

The main precautions are the tidal current and the boat and jet-ski traffic between the wrecks and the beach.

Tangalooma Island Resort's passenger ferry runs from Holt Street Wharf, Pinkenba (Brisbane) to the resort in about 75 minutes; the wrecks are a 15-20 minute walk north along the beach, and the resort runs guided snorkel and dive tours by boat. With a 4WD, the MICAT vehicle barge from the Port of Brisbane (Lytton) lands on the beach close to the wrecks (QPWS vehicle permit required); park on the beach and walk straight in. Private boats from Manly or Scarborough can anchor in the lee of the wrecks (roughly 45-60 minutes across the bay), keeping clear of swimmers.

A strong current sweeps between the wrecks and the beach when the tide is running, so snorkel and dive at the slack – slack high water gives the best visibility, and slack high or the start of the ebb can also be used for a gentle drift along the hulls. Sheltered from ocean swell by the island, but westerly winds over about 15 knots make the site choppy and murky. Visibility averages around 8 m and drops after heavy rain.

Summer brings occasional jellyfish.

Enter at slack water from the beach opposite the southern end of the line, swim out to the first hull and work north along the outside (seaward) face of the wrecks at 6-10 m, looking under the hulls and around the propellers, then return along the inside at shallower depth. Surface next to a hull rather than in the open channel where boats move.

Tangalooma Island Resort – daily guided snorkel tours, discover scuba, courses and sea-scooter tours; Brisbane Scuba, Go Dive Brisbane and Brisbane Dive Academy – regular bay trips; Moreton Island 4WD and cruise tour operators run snorkel stops.