Address
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island
Queensland
4819
Australia
Phone
+61
07
4726 2728
Fax
+61
07
4726 2700
Located within the waters of the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Magnetic Island has a wealth of interesting dive sites, whether diving from the shore or a boat. Some of the best places to dive on the Island are found in Geoffrey, Alma, Arthur and Florence Bays, also off Bright Point and the reef in Nelly Bay. Also there are many exciting wrecks to explore located just metres off the beach.
The Moltke wreck, a German barque in Geoffrey Bay is an excellent dive, especially at night, with a large variety of coral in a concentrated area and teeming with fish life. The wreck is marked by a post near the Arcadia wharf.
The wreck of the Platypus an old dredge, is in Arthur Bay, on the left hand side out towards the point in a rocky cove and is encrusted with hard corals.
Most ships were sunk as shelters to moorings, or jetties. But the Island’s rocks have also claimed the schooner Lavina in Rocky Bay, and the ketch Lallah Rookh was wrecked on Bremner Point, in 1896.
The Bee, a steam launch, was the first regular ferry service to the mainland, it came to grief on Knobby Point near Picnic Bay in 1901.
The waters around Magnetic Island are warm with a winter average of 23 degrees Celsius and a summer average of 28 degrees Celsius. The wrecks are relatively shallow, so are perfect for novices or for relaxed enjoyable diving.