Trousers Point, at the foot of the Strzelecki Peaks, is one of Flinders Island's best-known beauty spots and its most accessible dive. The Marine Life Network guide rates it 6.5 out of 10 and highlights its rarity: a limestone reef on a granite shoreline, whereas most Tasmanian diving is on granite, sandstone or volcanic rock. Large limestone rocks sit along the shore, low limestone reefs lie about 100 m offshore, and there are swim-throughs and a good variety of fish and seaweed in 2-15 m. The guide notes it is poor for crayfish but an easy dive in favourable conditions. Local advice from Flinders Island Dive or the charter skippers at Lady Barron on current conditions, tides and exact positions is the best starting point for any dive here.

The Furneaux Group - Flinders, Cape Barren, Clarke, Preservation and dozens of smaller islands - is one of Australia's least-dived temperate regions. Granite dominates, but Flinders Island also has unusual limestone reefs, and the islands' position on the eastern approach to Bass Strait left a long trail of shipwrecks from the colony's earliest years. The Marine Life Network guide remains the fullest published account of the dive sites; since then Flinders Island Dive at Emita has made air and guiding available on the island.

All wrecks over 75 years old are protected under Commonwealth and Tasmanian heritage law: nothing may be disturbed or removed, and new finds should be reported to the Parks and Wildlife Service. There is no chamber on the island, so a diving injury means aeromedical evacuation to Hobart or Melbourne; dive conservatively and carry oxygen.

Flinders Island is reached by air from Launceston (about 35 minutes) or Melbourne, landing at Whitemark, or by the vehicular freight ferry from Bridport. Flinders Island Dive at Emita can supply cylinders and weights, which avoids air-freighting heavy gear. Whitemark's ramp is difficult at tide extremes; Lady Barron in the south has the best ramp and most sheltered anchorage and is the base for trips to Cape Barren, Preservation and Clarke islands.

Trousers Point is about 20 minutes' drive south of Whitemark via Trousers Point Road into Strzelecki National Park (Parks Pass required). There is a car park, picnic area and campground at the point; the Marine Life Network guide describes vehicle access via a farm gate south of Trousers Point Road. Enter from the rocks and swim out to the low limestone reefs about 100 m offshore.

The Furneaux Group sits in eastern Bass Strait: the west coast of Flinders Island is exposed to the prevailing westerlies, the east coast to easterly summer gales, and strong tidal streams run through Franklin Sound, Armstrong Channel and the passages between the islands, especially after gales. January-April offers the most settled weather, but sudden southerly or westerly changes can arrive with little warning, so plan around a safe anchorage. Trousers Point faces west and south-west and is exposed to westerly swell; it is easy in easterly weather.

Enter from the rocks, swim over the large limestone boulders near shore and out to the low limestone reefs about 100 m offshore, exploring swim-throughs, then return along the granite shoreline. Turn at a third of gas to allow for the swim back and a possibly harder exit, finish with a 3-minute safety stop at about 5 m if the depth allows, and exit where you entered unless an alternative exit has been checked beforehand.

Flinders Island Dive (Emita, west coast; ph 0428 598 529) offers scuba and snorkel hire, air, and small-group guided diving, snorkelling and fishing tours including reefs, caves and shipwrecks, year-round. Charter boats Rockjaw Tours and Latitude Charters (listed by Visit Flinders Island) run trips that can include diving; the southern wrecks are reached from Lady Barron.