Wild Banks Artificial Reef was established on 14 August 2011 east of Wild Banks, offshore from Bribie Island. It covers 175 hectares at an average depth of about 35 m and is built from steel 'fish caves' – open-framed structures 11 m high and 11 m wide, each weighing 14.4 tonnes. The tall profile was designed to attract pelagic fish such as mackerel, dolphinfish (mahi mahi) and wahoo, which are drawn to vertical structure in open water, and marinelife.org.au lists it among the Moreton Bay reef sites for that reason.

Under the Queensland Parks rules, anchoring is prohibited and scuba diving is prohibited, while snorkelling and spearfishing are allowed, with spearfishing limited to 12 m. That makes Wild Banks a freediving and fishing site rather than a scuba dive, and it is included here so divers know its status. For freedivers, the attraction is pelagic fish rising around the top of the structures: mackerel, cobia, amberjack, trevally and dolphinfish, with baitfish schools concentrated over the steel.

The structures themselves sit too deep to reach within the spearfishing limit, but the fish life often comes up to meet divers on clear blue-water days. The site is fully exposed to the open ocean, and the approach from Bribie involves crossing a shallow bar that should only be attempted in good conditions and with local knowledge. Scuba divers wanting deep structure in this area should look instead at the ex-HMAS Brisbane off Mooloolaba or at the outer Moreton wrecks.

Check the latest reef rules with Queensland Parks before any visit.

Boat access only. Launch at Bribie Island (Bongaree/Spinnaker Sound ramps), cross the Northern Bar or run out through the North West Channel and head offshore east of Wild Banks; alternatively launch at Scarborough or Caloundra. The run is exposed open water.

The reef coordinates are on the Queensland Parks artificial reef locality map. Anchoring is prohibited – the reef is fished and freedived drifting. Scuba diving is prohibited under current rules; snorkelling and spearfishing (to 12 m) are allowed.

Open ocean east of Bribie Island: south-easterly trade winds over 15 knots, easterly swell over about 1.5 m and northerly sea breezes all make it rough, and the Bribie/Northern bar crossing is dangerous in swell. Best on calm, clear days with blue water pushed inshore by the East Australian Current, usually late summer and autumn for pelagics.

Scuba prohibited. Freedivers drift over the fish caves with a float line and dive only to the 12 m spearfishing limit, watching for pelagics drawn up by the structures.

No dive operator; used by game and sport fishers and spearfishers from private boats. Scuba diving prohibited.