Explore Sunshine Coast
Australia’s Sunshine Coast is a hidden gem for scuba divers, offering a remarkable underwater experience in Queensland’s vibrant marine ecosystem. With the warm, subtropical waters teeming with life, divers can explore a diverse range of environments, from the bustling reefs of Mooloolaba to the historic Tangalooma Wrecks. These sunken treasures, nestled in sandy seabeds, are home to an array of marine life, including grey nurse sharks, stingrays, and the occasional loggerhead turtle. The area’s rich biodiversity ensures that every dive is filled with captivating encounters.
Dive enthusiasts have a plethora of options when it comes to exploring the Sunshine Coast. From shore dives to boat and liveaboard experiences, the region caters to all preferences. Adventurous divers might find themselves embarking on a weekend trip aboard a liveaboard, venturing out to the iconic Ex-HMAS Brisbane and the stunning coral formations near Noosa. With dive centres strategically located near hotspots like Mooloolaba, accessing these underwater wonders is both convenient and thrilling. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned diver, the Sunshine Coast promises unforgettable adventures beneath the waves.
Dive Activity
Diving in the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast diving is renowned for its impressive shark diving, where divers will find themselves swimming alongside large grey nurse sharks, white-tip reef sharks, shovel-nosed and sleek whaler sharks. Wreck-enthusiasts will delight at the vast range of aircraft and ships that can be explored including the Ex-HMAS Brisbane and the Tangalooma Wrecks at Moreton Island. Both the Noosa and Mooloolaba Reefs have an incredibly diverse topography. Divers can venture around canyons, ridges, bommies, pinnacles, walls and caves while discovering several intricate reef systems including the Inner and Outer Gneerings. Keen macro-photographers will be impressed by the array of ‘small stuff’ adorning gorgonian sea fans, soft and hard corals.
Top Wildlife Sightings in the Sunshine Coast
On the Ex-HMAS Brisbane alone; clownfish, anemone, octopus, scorpionfish, lionfish, and giant Queensland grouper can be encountered. On the sandy seafloor surrounding the wreck, hermit crabs, leopard shark or shovelnose ray and spectacular soaring bull rays can be seen. At the impressive reef systems of Mooloolaba, Noosa, and Flinders Reef, loggerhead and green turtles can be witnessed breaching the surface for a breath of fresh air while wobbegong shark rest lazily on the seabed. The coral gardens are home to an array of marine invertebrates including feather stars, hermit crabs, urchins, and over 100 varieties of nudibranch. Occasionally, seasonal manta rays appear while grey nurse shark and sleek whaler sharks glide around the reef searching for their next meal.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
647 Sightings
J
78
F
26
M
46
A
49
M
26
J
67
J
70
A
62
S
45
O
70
N
41
D
67
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 25
iStock/Juliosanjuan
Eagle Ray
607 Sightings
J
144
F
47
M
42
A
39
M
14
J
36
J
24
A
19
S
23
O
66
N
69
D
84
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 600
iStock/ultramarinfoto
Wrasse
606 Sightings
J
72
F
34
M
36
A
40
M
19
J
55
J
58
A
63
S
63
O
54
N
70
D
42
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 27
iStock-Global_Pics
Barracuda
560 Sightings
J
47
F
11
M
23
A
34
M
17
J
33
J
56
A
81
S
59
O
70
N
58
D
71
Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
Green Turtle
214 Sightings
J
32
F
1
M
5
A
14
M
10
J
19
J
12
A
20
S
26
O
26
N
32
D
17
Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
Hawksbill Turtle
197 Sightings
J
41
F
14
M
1
A
12
M
0
J
14
J
0
A
13
S
23
O
43
N
26
D
10
iStock-ShaneGross
Loggerhead Turtle
169 Sightings
J
24
F
0
M
0
A
18
M
1
J
7
J
3
A
20
S
21
O
24
N
22
D
29
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
118 Sightings
J
31
F
0
M
5
A
16
M
4
J
1
J
11
A
5
S
12
O
5
N
12
D
16
AdobeStock-Magnus
Humpback Whale
84 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
17
S
40
O
23
N
0
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 28
Udo Kefrig
Clownfish
1.1k Sightings
J
140
F
30
M
61
A
97
M
51
J
92
J
120
A
119
S
80
O
101
N
134
D
91
The best Months to dive in the Sunshine Coast
Due to its subtropical climate, Sunshine Coast diving is possible year-round yet some species are more abundant at certain times of the year. During the winter months, from June through to October, humpback whales migrate along the Queensland coastline. At these times, divers are likely to see humpback whales on their surface intervals. In the later winter months, sharks are also more abundant and this is the most popular time to dive alongside grey nurse sharks.
