WOLF ROCK
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| Type of dive: |
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Rock pinnacles |
| Snorkelling: |
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No, too deep! |
| Scuba: |
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Advanced (Supervised open water) |
| Access: |
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Boat only (45 minutes) |
| Depth: |
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12 – 40 metres (40-130’) |
| Visibility: |
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5 – 30 metres (15-100’) |
| Water temperature: |
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19 – 27°C (66-80°F) |
| Seasonal: |
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No, can visit anytime |
Wolf Rock consists of five volcanic rock pinnacles rising from a sandy bottom!
The rock pinnacles, in 40 metres (130′) of water, are located in the Great Sandy Marine Park south of K’gari (Fraser Island), the world’s largest sand island, north of Rainbow Beach off Double Island.
The four shallower pinnacles are the preferred dive sites providing divers with sheer vertical walls and overhangs teeming with marine life.
Two of the five pinnacles actually break the surface and two are so close they form a spectacular narrow chasm, “The Chasm’, where divers can reach out and touch the sides of the two pinnacles.
Wolf Rock is Queensland’s only grey nurse shark gestation site and lucky divers may even observe mating sharks during the summer mating season in November and December. Large numbers of pregnant sharks can be spotted at any time.
The area is considered such an important habitat for endangered grey nurse sharks that the Queensland Government declared the area as a protected zone in 2003.
Aside from the dozens of grey nurse sharks, there are hundreds of schooling mulloway, trevally and yellowtail kingfish.
Eagle rays are regularly encountered, often in groups of six to 20, and Manta rays are regular visitors to Wolf Rock during the winter months, often sighted in groups of up to eight individuals.
Leopard sharks, wobbegongs, turtles, bat fish, coral trout and bull rays also add to the excitement of a Wolf Rock dive.
Underwater gutters are also the domain of huge giant Queensland groper, and the pinnacles’ walls are covered with beautiful soft coral fans and fronds of black coral waving gently in the current.
Brightly coloured delicate nudibranchs, colourful sea stars, octopus and dozens of other invertebrate species add to the incredible underwater biodiversity of Wolf Rock.
Humpback whales pass Wolf Rock during their annual winter migration to the north in June and again, on their return to Antarctica in October. Sometimes passing so close, divers can hear their songs.
Diving Wolf Rock is an absolute adrenalin rush!
Special thanks to James Skilbeck-Nelson of Wolf Rock Dive Centre.
Copyright © 2024 Steve Sinclair
Great dive sites to visit while you are there:
Round Rock, Nursery Reef, Ex-HMAS Brisbane a bit further south and Ex-HMAS Tobruk a bit further north.
Local dive services:
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WOLF ROCK DIVE CENTRE |
Other services:
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Need somewhere to eat & drink? |
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BLAST EXPERIENCES |
OTHER INFORMATION
LOCATION
State or Territory:
Queensland
Nearest City:
Brisbane
Nearest Regional City:
Noosa
Nearest Town:
Rainbow Beach
HOW TO GET THERE
Air:
Nearest International Airport:
Brisbane
Nearest Domestic/Regional Airport:
Brisbane/Sunshine Coast
Road:
Brisbane to Rainbow Beach:
3 hours (240 km/150 mi) via M1
Bus:
From Brisbane
Train:
Not available
Ferry:
Not relevant
THINGS TO DO
Fraser Island
Feed Dolphins
Horse Riding
Sea Kayaking
Skydiving
Surfing
Four Wheel Driving