Queensland · 34 sites

Brisbane & Moreton Bay dive sites

Brisbane's diving is better than most visitors expect. Flinders Reef, off the northern tip of Moreton Island, has more coral species than many outer-reef sites and resident turtles and wobbegongs; the Tangalooma Wrecks are 15 scuttled vessels you can snorkel from the beach; the Curtin Artificial Reef is a 30-year collection of scuttled boats and cars off Cowan; and Cherubs Cave and Henderson Rock on the east side of Moreton hold grey nurse sharks in winter.

Sites: 34
Wrecks: 14
Shore: 4
Boat: 29
Beginner: 8
Deepest: 43 m

Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026

Written 27 September 2026

Flinders Reef and the Moreton Island sites are clear and cool (20–21 °C) in the last of the westerlies; grey nurse sharks are at Flinders and the Gold Coast until about November, and the manta season at Stradbroke starts as the water warms in November. Humpbacks are passing south through the bay entrances.

Where to dive in November →

Getting there

Charters from Scarborough, Manly and Brisbane's bayside run Flinders and the east-side sites; Tangalooma is reached by ferry or from the resort.

When to go

Year-round; May to October brings the clearest water and grey nurse sharks.

Water & suit

Summer 24-27 °C · winter 19-21 °C. 3-5 mm full wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm with hood in winter

Nearest chamber: Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Service (Herston, Brisbane); Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine (Auchenflower, Brisbane) as alternative

Most recorded marine life in Brisbane & Moreton Bay

Wobbegongs 24
Nudibranchs 11
Crayfish 10
Trevally 10
Turtles 10
Kingfish 8
Rays 8
Barracuda 6
Moray eels 6
Reef fish 6
Sweetlip 6
Batfish 5
Bream 5
Lionfish 5

Plan a dive trip to Brisbane & Moreton Bay →Find your dive Compare the top 4 side by side New diver? Start here

The most-dived sites in Brisbane & Moreton Bay

ReefMax 28 m

Flinders Reef

Highest coral diversity of any subtropical reef on the east coast and Brisbane's best-known dive; the turtle cleaning…

Advanced Open WaterBeginner

WreckMax 12 mShore

Tangalooma Wrecks

Fifteen rusting dredges and barges scuttled 1963-84, many breaking the surface, with 100+ fish species in 1-12 m –…

Open WaterBeginner

ReefMax 14 m

Turtle Cleaning Station (Flinders Reef)

Turtles queueing at a coral bommie in about 5 m to be cleaned by surgeonfish and wrasse – close-range turtle behaviour…

Open WaterBeginner

Artificial ReefMax 30 m

Curtin Artificial Reef

The world's first diver-built artificial reef – 30+ wrecks, a Brisbane tram and resident giant Queensland groupers.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

WreckMax 30 m

Cementco Wreck

An inverted ex-Army support ship and coral barge north-east of Flinders Reef, with crayfish-lined interiors and big…

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

Cave/CavernDepth not published

Alden's Cave (Flinders Reef)

A short, sunlit swim-through cave with an opening in its roof – an easy first cave experience on Brisbane's best coral…

Open WaterBeginner

WallMax 25 m

The Pines

A 500 m coffee-rock wall best dived as a drift on the incoming tide, packed with wobbegongs, turtles and schooling fish.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

WreckDepth not published

Lady Norman (Curtin Artificial Reef)

Curtin's largest wreck, a 40 m coastal trader sitting apart on the western edge of the reef.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

WreckDepth not published

Tug Melbourne (Curtin Artificial Reef)

The central tug of Curtin reef and the natural hub for a wreck-to-wreck dive.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

WreckMax 25 m

Aarhus Wreck

Scattered remains of an 1875 Hamburg-built barque that hit Smith Rock three times and sank in 12 minutes, with the bow…

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

Suggested trip

A 3-day dive trip to Brisbane & Moreton Bay

Built from the sites in this region: an easy start, the signature dives, then something deeper or further. Swap days around the weather; the site pages say which winds and swell close each one.

Build your own Brisbane & Moreton Bay plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →

Day 1 · Settle in

Start with Brisbane & Moreton Bay's easier shore dives: check your weighting, get used to the water temperature and dive the sheltered side of the coast.

Tangalooma WrecksWreck · Max 12 m · Open Water
Bulwer WrecksWreck · Max 6 m · Snorkel/Any

Day 2 · The signature dives

A charter day on the sites people travel to Brisbane & Moreton Bay for, including Curtin Artificial Reef.

Curtin Artificial ReefArtificial Reef · Max 30 m · Advanced Open Water
Cementco WreckWreck · Max 30 m · Advanced Open Water

Day 3 · Deeper or further

For divers with the certification and the weather: the deeper walls, pinnacles or less-visited sites of Brisbane & Moreton Bay.

Flinders ReefReef · Max 28 m · Advanced Open Water
The PinesWall · Max 25 m · Advanced Open Water

Brisbane-based dive training business that runs Torres Strait / Ribbon Reef expeditions aboard MV Kalinda; not based in the Torres Strait.

professionaldiveservices.com.au · 0457 007 040

22 sites

Map of Brisbane & Moreton Bay dive sites

Click a pin for the site. 7 sites without published coordinates are not shown.

Loading map…

27 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.

All 34 Brisbane & Moreton Bay dive sites

WreckMax 25 m

Aarhus Wreck

Scattered remains of an 1875 Hamburg-built barque that hit Smith Rock three times and sank in 12 minutes, with the bow…

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

Cave/CavernDepth not published

Alden's Cave (Flinders Reef)

A short, sunlit swim-through cave with an opening in its roof – an easy first cave experience on Brisbane's best coral…

Open WaterBeginner

Jetty/PierMax 6 mShore

Bongaree Jetty (Bribie Island)

A historic 1912 steamer jetty on the Pumicestone Passage for a short slack-water critter dive.

Open WaterIntermediate

ReefMax 25 m

Brennan Shoal

A quieter twin of Roberts Shoal, with pinnacles, big caves and schools of pelagics.

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

WreckMax 6 mShore

Bulwer Wrecks

Three 1880s-1900-built steamers scuttled in 1933-35 as a breakwater, now an easy shallow snorkel off Bulwer beach.

Snorkel/AnyBeginner

WreckMax 30 m

Cementco Wreck

An inverted ex-Army support ship and coral barge north-east of Flinders Reef, with crayfish-lined interiors and big…

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

Cave/CavernMax 30 m

Cherubs Cave

A 20 x 15 m cave with six exits, surrounded by gullies where grey nurse sharks gather in winter.

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

WallMax 30 m

China Wall

A sheer granite wall topped by kelp and a 2 m swim-through, with crayfish, fans and pelagics on Moreton's ocean side.

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

DriftMax 40 m

Comboyuro Point

A deep coffee-rock drift at the northern entrance to Moreton Bay with grey nurse sharks, estuary cod and pelagics.

Deep/Advanced + experienceAdvanced

Shore/Rock PlatformMax 12 mShore

Cowan Cowan

A quiet western Moreton foreshore beside the historic Fort Cowan Cowan, and the landmark for Curtin reef and The Pines.

Open WaterIntermediate

Artificial ReefMax 30 m

Curtin Artificial Reef

The world's first diver-built artificial reef – 30+ wrecks, a Brisbane tram and resident giant Queensland groupers.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

ReefMax 28 m

Flinders Reef

Highest coral diversity of any subtropical reef on the east coast and Brisbane's best-known dive; the turtle cleaning…

Advanced Open WaterBeginner

WreckMax 11 mArea view

Grace Darling Wreck

An 1876 wooden schooner lost in 1894 with a cargo of coal and dynamite – ballast mound, galley oven and timbers in 10 m.

Open WaterIntermediate

Artificial ReefMax 21 m

Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef

One of Australia's oldest artificial reefs (1975), with the 24 m Tiwi Pearl scuttled in 2010 – but diving is currently…

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

Pinnacle/BommieMax 25 m

Hendersons Rock

Granite pinnacle, kelp beds and a long gutter where grey nurse sharks gather in winter – one of Brisbane's best, least…

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

WreckMax 22 mArea view

Hustler 3 Wreck

A small, coral-covered trawler wreck at 22 m that draws schools of sweetlips and snapper.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

ReefMax 30 m

Hutchison Shoal

Rarely dived shoal with spectacular drop-offs, caves and ravines and masses of pelagic fish.

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

Cave/CavernDepth not publishedArea view

Jons Cave

A newly found multi-entrance cave system with black coral and crayfish under a kelp-topped reef on Moreton's wild…

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

WreckDepth not published

Lady Norman (Curtin Artificial Reef)

Curtin's largest wreck, a 40 m coastal trader sitting apart on the western edge of the reef.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

WallMax 38 mArea view

Las Vegas

A deep, intricate rocky wall with good odds of big pelagic fish on clear days.

Deep/Advanced + experienceAdvanced

WreckMax 15 m

Marietta Dal Wreck

Tractors and machinery from a 1950 wreck scattered around a 50 m propeller shaft in only 13 m.

Open WaterIntermediate

Artificial ReefDepth not publishedArea view

North Moreton Artificial Reef

A purpose-built pelagic fishing and freediving reef of concrete fish boxes at the northern entrance to Moreton Bay.

Snorkel/AnyIntermediate

ReefMax 4 m

Peel Island – Horseshoe Bay

Shallow fringing reefs and the beached 1883 bucket dredge Platypus at a historic island anchorage.

Snorkel/AnyBeginner

ReefMax 35 m

Roberts Shoal

A 'ruined cathedral' of arches, spires and caves just off the Cape Moreton lighthouse.

Deep/Advanced + experienceAdvanced

WallMax 25 mArea view

Rosswall

A lightly dived coral-covered wall with overhangs and caves off northern Moreton Island.

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

Pinnacle/BommieMax 21 m

Smiths Rock

Granite pinnacles with swim-throughs and caverns on the rock that sank the Aarhus, St Paul and Marietta Dal.

Advanced Open WaterAdvanced

WreckMax 43 m

St Paul Wreck

A 1912 French steamer lost with 18 lives in 1914, with twin boilers, engine and propeller intact at 38-43 m.

Technical (decompression)Expert/Technical

WreckMax 12 mShore

Tangalooma Wrecks

Fifteen rusting dredges and barges scuttled 1963-84, many breaking the surface, with 100+ fish species in 1-12 m –…

Open WaterBeginner

WallMax 25 m

The Pines

A 500 m coffee-rock wall best dived as a drift on the incoming tide, packed with wobbegongs, turtles and schooling fish.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

WreckDepth not published

Tug Melbourne (Curtin Artificial Reef)

The central tug of Curtin reef and the natural hub for a wreck-to-wreck dive.

Advanced Open WaterIntermediate

Artificial ReefDepth not published

Turner Artificial Reef

A shallow, permitted-dive artificial reef of engineered concrete modules five minutes from Scarborough boat ramp.

Open WaterBeginner

ReefMax 14 m

Turtle Cleaning Station (Flinders Reef)

Turtles queueing at a coral bommie in about 5 m to be cleaned by surgeonfish and wrasse – close-range turtle behaviour…

Open WaterBeginner

Artificial ReefMax 35 mArea view

Wild Banks Artificial Reef

Eleven-metre-tall steel fish caves in 35 m of blue water that draw pelagic fish – a freediving and fishing reef where…

Deep/Advanced + experienceAdvanced

Jetty/PierMax 5 mShore

Woody Point Jetty

A wide, historic fishing jetty on Bramble Bay offering a short northside critter dive on a clear high tide.

Open WaterBeginner

All Brisbane & Moreton Bay sites at a glance

34 sites in Brisbane & Moreton Bay · click a column to sort


Aarhus Wreck	Wreck	Max 25 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Occasional
Alden's Cave (Flinders Reef)	Cave/Cavern	Depth not published	Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Weekly
Bongaree Jetty (Bribie Island)	Jetty/Pier	Max 6 m	Open Water	Shore	Rare
Brennan Shoal	Reef	Max 25 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Bulwer Wrecks	Wreck	Max 6 m	Snorkel/Any	Shore or Boat	Occasional
Cementco Wreck	Wreck	Max 30 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Weekly
Cherubs Cave	Cave/Cavern	Max 30 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Occasional
China Wall	Wall	Max 30 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Occasional
Comboyuro Point	Drift	Max 40 m	Deep/Advanced + experience	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Cowan Cowan	Shore/Rock Platform	Max 12 m	Open Water	Shore or Boat	Rare
Curtin Artificial Reef	Artificial Reef	Max 30 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Daily
Flinders Reef	Reef	Max 28 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Daily
Grace Darling Wreck	Wreck	Max 11 m	Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef	Artificial Reef	Max 21 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Hendersons Rock	Pinnacle/Bommie	Max 25 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Hustler 3 Wreck	Wreck	Max 22 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Occasional
Hutchison Shoal	Reef	Max 30 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Jons Cave	Cave/Cavern	Depth not published	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Lady Norman (Curtin Artificial Reef)	Wreck	Depth not published	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Weekly
Las Vegas	Wall	Max 38 m	Deep/Advanced + experience	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Marietta Dal Wreck	Wreck	Max 15 m	Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Occasional
North Moreton Artificial Reef	Artificial Reef	Depth not published	Snorkel/Any	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Peel Island – Horseshoe Bay	Reef	Max 4 m	Snorkel/Any	Boat	Occasional
Roberts Shoal	Reef	Max 35 m	Deep/Advanced + experience	Boat (day trip)	Occasional
Rosswall	Wall	Max 25 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Smiths Rock	Pinnacle/Bommie	Max 21 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Occasional
St Paul Wreck	Wreck	Max 43 m	Technical (decompression)	Boat (day trip)	Rare
Tangalooma Wrecks	Wreck	Max 12 m	Open Water	Shore or Boat	Daily
The Pines	Wall	Max 25 m	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Weekly
Tug Melbourne (Curtin Artificial Reef)	Wreck	Depth not published	Advanced Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Weekly
Turner Artificial Reef	Artificial Reef	Depth not published	Open Water	Boat	Rare
Turtle Cleaning Station (Flinders Reef)	Reef	Max 14 m	Open Water	Boat (day trip)	Daily
Wild Banks Artificial Reef	Artificial Reef	Max 35 m	Deep/Advanced + experience	Boat	Rare
Woody Point Jetty	Jetty/Pier	Max 5 m	Open Water	Shore	Rare

Brisbane & Moreton Bay diving FAQ

How do I get to the dive sites in Brisbane & Moreton Bay?

Charters from Scarborough, Manly and Brisbane's bayside run Flinders and the east-side sites; Tangalooma is reached by ferry or from the resort.

When is the best time to dive Brisbane & Moreton Bay?

Year-round; May to October brings the clearest water and grey nurse sharks.

How many dive sites are there in Brisbane & Moreton Bay?

34 documented sites, including 14 wrecks and 4 that can be dived independently from the shore. The deepest reaches 43 m.

Are there beginner dive sites in Brisbane & Moreton Bay?

Yes, 8 sites are rated beginner. Look for the green Beginner tag in the list below, and check the weather notes on each page before diving.

How cold is the water in Brisbane & Moreton Bay?

Typically 24-27 °C in summer and 19-21 °C in winter. Most divers wear 3-5 mm full wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm with hood in winter.

Which dive centres operate in Brisbane & Moreton Bay?

Scuba World Mooloolaba, Sunreef Mooloolaba, Brisbane Scuba, Brisbane Dive Academy, Go Dive Brisbane, Tangalooma Island Resort and others are recorded as running sites in Brisbane & Moreton Bay. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.

Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Brisbane & Moreton Bay?

Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Service (Herston, Brisbane); Wesley Centre for Hyperbaric Medicine (Auchenflower, Brisbane) as alternative. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.

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