Queensland · 41 sites
Sunshine Coast dive sites
The Sunshine Coast has one of the best wreck dives in Australia, the ex-HMAS Brisbane, scuttled off Mooloolaba in 2005 with access cut into every deck, plus the Gneerings and Murphys reefs with grey nurse sharks in winter and, further north, Wolf Rock's resident pregnant grey nurse sharks and Flinders Reef's coral gardens off Noosa's doorstep.
- Sites
- 41
- Wrecks
- 1
- Shore
- 2
- Boat
- 34
- Beginner
- 14
- Deepest
- 55 m
Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026
Written 27 September 2026The ex-HMAS Brisbane and the Gneerings are in their clear spring window: westerlies overnight, 21–22 °C water, 15–20 m visibility on the wreck. Grey nurse sharks are still at Wolf Rock to the north until about November; humpbacks are passing south.
Getting there
Ninety minutes north of Brisbane. Charters from Mooloolaba run the Brisbane and the local reefs; Wolf Rock is reached from Rainbow Beach.
When to go
Year-round; June to October for visibility, grey nurse sharks and humpback whales on the boat ride.
Water & suit
Summer 25-27 °C · winter 19-21 °C. 3 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood June-September
Nearest chamber: Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200.
Most recorded marine life in Sunshine Coast
- Nudibranchs 26
- Turtles 25
- Wobbegongs 24
- Butterflyfish 17
- Moray eels 17
- Angelfish 16
- Morwong 16
- Surgeonfish 15
- Wrasse 15
- Grey nurse sharks (winter) 14
- Rays; leopard sharks (summer) 12
- Sponges 10
- Rays 7
- Reef fish 7
Plan a dive trip to Sunshine Coast →Find your diveCompare the top 4 side by sideNew diver? Start here
The most-dived sites in Sunshine Coast
Suggested trip
A 3-day dive trip to Sunshine Coast
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 Sunshine Coast plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →Day 1 · Settle in
Start with Sunshine Coast's easier shore dives: check your weighting, get used to the water temperature and dive the sheltered side of the coast.
- La Balsa ParkMuck/Sand · Max 6 m · Open Water
- Kings Beach (Caloundra)Shore/Rock Platform · Max 6 m · Snorkel/Any
Day 2 · The signature dives
A charter day on the sites people travel to Sunshine Coast for, including Ex-HMAS Brisbane.
- Ex-HMAS BrisbaneWreck · Max 28 m · Advanced Open Water
- Nurse RockReef · Max 22 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 Sunshine Coast.
- Outer GneeringsReef · Max 25 m · Advanced Open Water
- Magic MountainReef · Max 25 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive centres and charters in Sunshine Coast
All Queensland operators →Operators recorded as running sites in this region. Each profile lists the specific sites it goes to.
Scuba World Mooloolaba
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Mooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
A Sunshine Coast business combining training, retail and local boat diving including the ex-HMAS Brisbane.
scubaworld.com.au · (07) 5444 8595
TrainingRetailCharter5 services51 sites
Sunreef Mooloolaba
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Mooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
A Mooloolaba operation closely associated with the ex-HMAS Brisbane wreck alongside local reef diving and training.
sunreef.com.au · (07) 5444 5656
CharterTrainingRetail5 services51 sites
Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Point Lookout · North Stradbroke Island · QLD
A North Stradbroke Island operation combining accommodation and diving, which makes it structurally different from a suburban Brisbane training centre.
mantalodge.com.au · (07) 3409 8888
ResortDestinationTraining5 services15 sites
SubSurface Scuba
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Mooloolaba · Sunshine Coast · QLD
subsurfacescuba.com · (07) 5493 9097
34 sites
Map of Sunshine Coast dive sites
Click a pin for the site. 25 sites without published coordinates are not shown.
Loading map…
16 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
All 41 Sunshine Coast dive sites
All Sunshine Coast sites at a glance
41 sites in Sunshine Coast · click a column to sort
| A-Bay Reef | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Aussie's Reef (Gneering Shoals) | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Barwon Banks | Reef | Max 50 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Expedition |
| Big Plates | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Brays Rock | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Rare |
| Butterflies | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Castle Rock | Reef | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Chardons Reef | Reef | Max 55 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Clown Reef | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Coral Gardens (Gneerings) | Reef | Max 15 m | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Currimundi Reef | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Dickies Reef | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 11 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Ex-HMAS Brisbane | Wreck | Max 28 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Daily |
| Halls Reef | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Hanging Rock | Reef | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Inner Gneerings | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Jew Shoal | Reef | Max 16 m | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Kings Beach (Caloundra) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 6 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Occasional |
| La Balsa Park | Muck/Sand | Max 6 m | Open Water | Shore | Daily |
| Little Halls Reef | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Lost Canyons | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Magic Mountain | Reef | Max 25 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| MKVI | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Mudjimba Island | Island | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Murphys Reef | Reef | Max 33 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Occasional |
| Noosa National Park Headland (Tea Tree Bay – Granite Bay) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 6 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Occasional |
| Nudi Junction | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Nurse Rock | Reef | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Outer Gneerings | Reef | Max 25 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Point Arkwright | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 8 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Rare |
| Point Cartwright | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 8 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Occasional |
| Pyramids (Gneerings) | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Ship Rock | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Sunshine Reef | Reef | Max 35 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Rare |
| The Caves (Gneerings) | Reef | Max 12 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| The Hole | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| The Pinnacles (Gneerings) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 14 m | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| The Plateau | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Triple D | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Tunnels (Gneerings) | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Wonderland (Gneerings) | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
Sunshine Coast diving FAQ
How do I get to the dive sites in Sunshine Coast?
Ninety minutes north of Brisbane. Charters from Mooloolaba run the Brisbane and the local reefs; Wolf Rock is reached from Rainbow Beach.
When is the best time to dive Sunshine Coast?
Year-round; June to October for visibility, grey nurse sharks and humpback whales on the boat ride.
How many dive sites are there in Sunshine Coast?
41 documented sites, including 1 wreck and 2 that can be dived independently from the shore. The deepest reaches 55 m.
Are there beginner dive sites in Sunshine Coast?
Yes, 14 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 Sunshine Coast?
Typically 25-27 °C in summer and 19-21 °C in winter. Most divers wear 3 mm full suit in summer; 5-7 mm full suit and hood June-September.
Which dive centres operate in Sunshine Coast?
Scuba World Mooloolaba, Sunreef Mooloolaba, Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre, SubSurface Scuba are recorded as running sites in Sunshine Coast. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Sunshine Coast?
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.