Diving & Travel Guide to Queensland – Moreton Bay

About Queensland – Moreton Bay

Moreton Bay, encompassing the waters between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, is one of Australia's most accessible and diverse diving regions, offering an extraordinary range of underwater experiences from world-class wreck diving to encounters with some of the ocean's most magnificent creatures. The bay is home to the famous Flinders Reef off Moreton Island, one of southeast Queensland's best dive sites with its dramatic bommie fields, swim-throughs, and rich marine life including resident wobbegong sharks, eagle rays, and seasonal manta rays. The Tangalooma Wrecks, a deliberately sunk fleet of vessels near Moreton Island, create a hauntingly beautiful dive site that doubles as an artificial reef attracting thousands of fish. Stradbroke Island, known locally as Straddie, offers exceptional diving at Flat Rock, Shag Rock, and the renowned Manta Bommie, where reef manta rays gather reliably during winter months for cleaning. The Gold Coast section includes the Scottish Prince wreck, the Gold Coast Seaway, Narrowneck Reef, and Wave Break Island, providing accessible shore and boat diving with abundant marine life. Moreton Bay's sheltered waters and the protection offered by Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island create ideal conditions for diving year-round, with visibility typically best in winter when the water is clearest. The bay is also one of Australia's most important dugong habitats, and while sightings are rare for divers, the healthy seagrass beds that support the dugong population indicate an ecosystem in good condition.

Highlights

• ✓Flinders Reef – southeast Queensland's best bommie diving with swim-throughs
• ✓Manta Bommie on Stradbroke Island with reliable manta ray encounters
• ✓Tangalooma Wrecks – an iconic artificial reef and wreck diving experience
• ✓Gold Coast Seaway and Narrowneck Reef for accessible shore diving
• ✓Year-round diving in sheltered bay waters with winter visibility up to 25 meters
• ✓Dugong habitat in one of Australia's most important marine ecosystems

Getting There

Moreton Bay is accessed from Brisbane (the state capital) and the Gold Coast, both with major international airports. Brisbane Airport (BNE) is the primary gateway, with the bay and Moreton Island reached via ferry from Holt Street Wharf in Brisbane or from Cleveland. North Stradbroke Island is accessed via ferry from Cleveland to Dunwich, a journey of approximately 45 minutes. The Gold Coast section is accessed from the Gold Coast Seaway at Southport, Main Beach, and various shore dive points along the coast. Most dive operators depart from Manly Harbour, Cleveland, or the Gold Coast Seaway, with boat rides of 20-45 minutes to the main dive sites. The region's proximity to Brisbane and the Gold Coast makes it ideal for both day trips and extended dive holidays.