The Friars are a cluster of rocky islets off Tasman Head, the southern tip of Bruny Island, where the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Storm Bay meet the Southern Ocean. They support a colony of Australian and New Zealand fur seals and are a highlight of the Bruny Island wildlife cruises. The Marine Life Network guide rates the Friars among the best dives in south-east Tasmania, at 20-30 m.

It describes a huge, fairly flat dome of rock studded with impressive rocks and islands, large blocks of volcanic rock split by numerous swim-throughs, and channels between the islands with marine growth in the cracks, seals and colourful invertebrates. It warns of strong current in the channels, extreme exposure and the need for a large, well-equipped boat. The combination of clean oceanic water, dramatic topography and seals makes the Friars a genuine expedition-style dive.

Sponges, jewel anemones and other invertebrates encrust the swim-throughs, schools of butterfly perch and bastard trumpeter hang in the current, and seals twist around divers. Tasmanian seal-watching guidelines require vessels to stay at least 50 m from seals (100 m during November-December pupping) and slow down within 200 m; landing on the colony is not permitted. Seal colonies attract white sharks, so keep dives compact and stay close to the rock.

Only experienced divers with a capable skipper and a live boat should attempt the Friars, and only in the rare calm windows when the swell drops away. The wildlife cruises that pass the Friars show how rarely the sea is flat here; if you are visiting Bruny without a suitable boat, a cruise is the best way to see the seals and the formations from the surface.

Bruny Island is reached by the vehicle ferry from Kettering (about 35 km, 40 minutes south of Hobart via the Southern Outlet and Channel Highway) to Roberts Point on North Bruny; the crossing takes about 20 minutes and runs frequently, but book or queue early in summer. From Roberts Point drive south across The Neck to Adventure Bay (about 35-40 minutes), where there are boat ramps and a jetty. There are no dive shops or air fills on Bruny – bring filled cylinders from Hobart or Kingston.

The Friars lie off Tasman Head, about 20 km south of Adventure Bay – roughly 40-60 minutes by boat. The Marine Life Network guide stresses that a large, well-equipped craft and exceptionally calm weather are required, with a long run to the nearest safe anchorage. Pennicott Wilderness Journeys' Bruny Island Cruises visit the seal colony from Adventure Bay for sightseeing; divers need their own boat or a Channel charter.

The Friars are fully exposed to the Southern Ocean and the Tasman Sea. The Marine Life Network describes them as requiring exceptionally calm weather, with strong currents in the channels between the islets. Dive only with minimal swell (well under 1 m) and light winds, ideally around slack water.

Southerly and south-westerly swell, which is present most days, makes the site unworkable. Late summer and autumn give the best odds. Visibility is often excellent – 15 m or more – when conditions allow.

Choose a lee-side drop, descend onto the rock dome and explore the swim-throughs between the volcanic blocks at 15-25 m, avoiding the inter-island channels if current is running. Ascend along a rock face and deploy an SMB early for live-boat pick-up.

Live-boat drift diving; carry SMB, reel, VHF and oxygen on the boat.

No scheduled dive trips. Occasional charters by Underwater Adventures Tasmania in exceptional weather; private expedition boats. Bruny Island Cruises (Pennicott) visits for wildlife viewing only.