Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
Wedge Island
Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania · near White Beach
| Depth | 5–9 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Boat (day trip) |
| Entry | Back roll or giant stride from charter boat |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-15 m |
| Water | summer 14-18 °C, winter 10-13 °C |
| Suit | Drysuit strongly recommended year-round; 7 mm semi-dry or two-piece 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is the minimum in summer |
| Best season | Late summer to autumn (February-May) for settled weather and best visibility; diveable year-round between fronts |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | -43.13300, 147.67000 (approximate) |
| Permit | No permit required |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200 |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Wedge Island
Easy shallow boulder reef in Storm Bay, handy when easterlies close the east coast.
Near White Beach · Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania
- Depth
- 5–9 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Boat ride
- ~12 min
- Water
- 14-18 °C
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
Wedge Island5–9 m · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, May, December.
Late summer to autumn (February-May) for settled weather and best visibility; diveable year-round between fronts
- Best months
- Now (November)
Dive facts
- Depth
- 5–9 m
- Typical depth
- 7 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Offshore
- 2 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~12 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 14-18 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 10-13 °C
- Water
- Cold Temperate
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
Drysuit strongly recommended year-round; 7 mm semi-dry or two-piece 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is the minimum in summer
Location
Wedge Bay – Nubeena
-43.13300, 147.67000
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
No permit required
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Wedge Island →
A day-by-day plan for Tasman Peninsula 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
Wedge Island is a island boat dive in Tasman Peninsula, TAS, 5–9 m, suited to Open Water divers, about 12 minutes by boat.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Why dive here
- Easy shallow boulder reef in Storm Bay, handy when easterlies close the east coast.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Strong westerlies
About Wedge Island
Wedge Island sits at the entrance to Wedge Bay on the western side of the Tasman Peninsula, facing Storm Bay. The Marine Life Network guide lists the exposed western end in 5-9 m, with boulders, crevices and a weed garden, and records bastard trumpeter, banded morwong and wrasse. It is a shallow, easy boat dive: the boulders are stacked on a gently sloping bottom, and the cracks between them shelter fish and invertebrates.
The weed garden supports a variety of brown and red algae, and the fish are typical of Storm Bay reefs – bastard trumpeter in small schools, banded morwong resting on the rocks, blue-throated and purple wrasse, leatherjackets and occasional rock lobster. Because it faces the open bay, the western end is the most exposed part of the island, so plan the dive for a calm day or use the more sheltered eastern side when there is a westerly breeze. The site suits newer divers and snorkellers with a boat, and families staying at White Beach or Nubeena.
The western side of the Tasman Peninsula is an important complement to Eaglehawk Neck: when easterly weather blows out the east coast, Wedge Bay and Storm Bay are often calm. Visibility is usually lower than on the east coast. The island is a nature reserve for seabirds; do not land, and avoid disturbing nesting birds.
Combine Wedge Island with nearby Fosters Rock or the Brothers and Sisters Rocks at the head of Wedge Bay for a day of relaxed diving.
Getting there & entry
Small island off the western Tasman Peninsula at the entrance to Wedge Bay, with boulder reef at its exposed western end.
Nubeena is on the western side of the Tasman Peninsula, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Hobart: take the Arthur Highway to Port Arthur's turn-off near Taranna and follow the B37 (Nubeena Road) west. There are boat ramps at Nubeena and White Beach. The Marine Life Network guide recommends launching from White Beach; Wedge Island lies a few kilometres south-west across the mouth of Wedge Bay, about 10-15 minutes by small boat.
Dive the western end, anchoring in sand clear of the reef. Fuel and supplies are available at Nubeena.
Entry: Back roll or giant stride from charter boat
Facilities: Boat ramps and toilets at White Beach and Nubeena; fuel and store at Nubeena; no fills on the western side (nearest Eaglehawk Neck or Hobart).
Weather, swell & tides
Wedge Bay and the White Beach–Nubeena coast face west and south-west into Storm Bay and the mouth of the Derwent. North-westerly to south-westerly winds and southerly groundswell make the outer sites rough and stir up the sand; easterly and north-easterly winds, which blow out the Tasman Sea coast, leave this side of the peninsula calm, so it complements Eaglehawk Neck. Visibility is generally lower than on the east coast (5-15 m) and drops after westerly blows.
Best in the calm mornings of late summer and autumn.
Best season: Late summer to autumn (February-May) for settled weather and best visibility; diveable year-round between fronts
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Wedge Island doesn't.
- Sloping Island Kelp Forest · 20 km · Max 12 m
- Fortescue Bay · 24 km · Max 20 m
- Eaglehawk Neck Jetty (Pirates Bay) · 25 km · Max 12 m
- Frying Pan Point (Mason Cove) · 15 km · Max 4 m
How the dive is usually run
Anchor off the western end, descend to 7-9 m and explore the boulders and crevices, looking under ledges for crayfish. Circle back along the weed garden to the anchor.
Marine life
- Bastard trumpeter
- banded morwong
- blue-throated wrasse
- purple wrasse
- leatherjackets
- rock lobster
- brown and red algae
- sea stars
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Shallow enough for snorkellers and for a first dive under supervision. Any certified diver can dive it.
Courses that help here
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
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
Exposed western end in westerly and southerly swell; boat traffic from Nubeena; island is a seabird reserve – do not land.
Dive centres that go here
No regular operator; private boats from White Beach and Nubeena.
Operators recorded for Wedge Island
Eaglehawk Dive Centre
ProfiledEaglehawk Neck · Tasman Peninsula · TAS
The principal operation at Eaglehawk Neck, servicing the Tasman Peninsula's sea caves, walls and deeper wrecks.
eaglehawkdive.com.au · 0417 013 518
Go Dive Tasmania
ListedHobart · Hobart & Derwent · TAS
A Tasmanian business providing training, equipment and service support for cold-water diving.
godivetas.com.au · (03) 6231 9749
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Wedge Island: frequently asked questions
How deep is Wedge Island?
Wedge Island reaches a maximum depth of 9 m, with the shallowest part at about 5 m; most of the dive is spent around 7 m.
What certification do I need to dive Wedge Island?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Can I shore dive Wedge Island?
No, it is reached by boat (about 12 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Wedge Island?
Late summer to autumn (February-May) for settled weather and best visibility; diveable year-round between fronts.
What marine life will I see at Wedge Island?
Regularly recorded: Bastard trumpeter, banded morwong, blue-throated wrasse, purple wrasse, leatherjackets, rock lobster, brown and red algae, sea stars.
What wetsuit do I need at Wedge Island?
Drysuit strongly recommended year-round; 7 mm semi-dry or two-piece 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is the minimum in summer.
How cold is the water at Wedge Island?
Typically 14-18 °C in summer and 10-13 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Wedge Island?
Exposed western end in westerly and southerly swell; boat traffic from Nubeena; island is a seabird reserve – do not land. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Wedge Island?
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Tasman Peninsula
The Tasman Peninsula has the tallest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere, and beneath them some of Australia's most dramatic diving: the Cathedral Cave system and Waterfall Bay's caves and wall, the Sisters and Hippolyte Rocks with their fur seals, the Thumbs, and the remnant giant kelp at Fortescue Bay and Munro Bight. Deep sites like the Patersons Arch and the Nord wreck (40 m) reward experienced divers.
Getting there: Ninety minutes from Hobart. A dedicated dive operator at Eaglehawk Neck runs boat dives; Fortescue Bay and Pirates Bay have shore access.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Single older source; coordinates approximate.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
