Diving

The Capricorn Coast is not known for its diving, but our coastline offers up many abundant opportunities for exploration.

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Dive Safari

Southern Great Barrier reef Keppel dive locales are where you can still find flourishing coral groves. In other areas, you can experience the tragic coral bleaching first hand whilst witnessing the wonders of natures recovery viewing the coral nurseries.

Barren & Child Islands

Barren & Child Islands are 11 kilometers east of Great Keppel Island. Diving these islands hosts numerous sites ranging from 30m (100ft) off Child, along with easy dive sites area with depths of 6 – 9m (20 – 30ft) known as “One Bum Beach”.
Drift diving in the passage between and along the top of the islands is an experience where large schools of Spanish Mackerel, Tuna, Trevally, Black Kingfish and occasionally, the odd Manta Ray have often been spotted. The fringing reefs of these two islands provide spectacular colours coral homes for the endless display of tropical fish.

Great Keppel Island

The islands big Peninsula has a horse shoe shape beach located on the North East point of Great Keppel is a well sheltered bay and serves as an excellent site accessible in adverse conditions. Great for Night Diving and Drift Diving the coral gardens, heading out off the peninsula at 12 – 14m (40 – 47ft), large bull ray & blue-spotted rays, sea whips and sea-cucumbers can be found, along with a resident moray eel.

Egg Rock

Egg Rock, a site of world-class diving and considered by some experienced divers as Australia’s best-kept secret, is a Marine National Park “B” Zone which means that these islands are protected from fishing. A look and photograph only location, the undisturbed beauty, hosts wall dives to 30m (100ft) on the seaward side. The overwhelming numerous types of corals and fish life in this area is a sight to behold with some fish up weighing in at 60 – 70 kg. Large Coral Trout in abundance, Clown Fish heaps bigger than Nemo home in their Anemones gardens ranging up to 10m in diameter.
Carpet python sized Sea Snakes, human-sized Cod swimming with schools of pelagic fish are a diving safari dream. Bommie’s in 20m (65ft) of water attract other species of fish like Sweetlip, Barramundi Cod, Hussar’s, Hump-Headed Batfish and Red Emperor along with many other speicies.

Man & Wife Rocks

Man & Wife, located between Outer Rock and Great Keppel Island, sports a 6 – 8m (20 – 27ft) drop off to a plateau. Dropping further to a depth of 18m (60ft) around most of the island. Maximum depth in this area is down to 25m (80ft).

Macro photographers will appreciate the array of soft corals along the rock face of the islands. With good coral in and around 10m (30ft), it makes for nice easy diving. Up in the gutters you’ll find Wobbegong sharks posing for the ever keen photographer.

Outer Rock

Eight miles north east of Great Keppel Island, Outer Rock is a large isolated rock rising up to 20 metres. The four main area’s dived are on the northern side where a well-sheltered bay gives protection to divers. To the east, a large rock runs northwards starting at 5m (17ft) of water and descends to 18m (60ft). Divers follow the rock around for easy navigation.
Multitudes of small coral fish hang about in the shallow water and as you head into the deeper waters, larger pelagic fish roam around. The many gutters in this area makes for excellent exploring and many a large Maori Wrasse have been spotted inhabiting the area. Outer Rock is known for some of the better coral gardens with large painted crayfish lurking under ledges.