Don your scuba gear at Wonder Reef on the Gold Coast

It’s one of Australia’s newest tourist attractions resting on the bottom of the deep blue sea. A world-first wonder, ‘Wonder Reef’ is a unique man-made marine sanctuary located just 2.5 kms from shore on the Gold Coast.

Want to explore it for yourself? Now open to the public, don your scuba gear and read on for everything you need to know about this incredible experience.

What exactly is Wonder Reef?

With a name like ‘Wonder Reef’ it sounds like it could be Australia’s latest superhero, and in marine terms it truly is - Australia’s first purpose-built floating reef. Anchored just 2.5km offshore from the Gold Coast’s Main Beach, it’s a world first also and while submerged during the pandemic, fishy new residents have been fast to move in. With certified divers now welcome to explore Queensland’s newest dive site - you’ll want to come and see this wonder for yourself.

Once immersed, you’ll be amazed to discover nine ‘twirling reef flutes’ resembling a giant spiral-like kelp forest merging marine science, Ingenious engineering and artistic interpretation to create a 32,000m2 artificial reef habitat.

Suspended 10 metres below the surface and anchored to the ocean floor, ethereal 22 metre spirals sway in gentle synergy with the energy of the ocean. Designed by Queensland artist Daniele Templeton in collaboration with engineering company Subcon Blue Solutions and City Of Gold Coast, Wonder Reef includes 72 tonne anchors of ocean-friendly geopolymer concrete and weighs in at a whopping 702 tonnes. The result however is a stunning new underwater marine sanctuary inviting vertical dives of eight, 18 and 30 metres and the first stop on the Gold Coast’s 11 strong dive trail sites.

How do you get to Wonder Reef?

From the northern Gold Coast’s Runaway Bay Marina, it’s a pleasant 10-minute dash across the Gold Coast Seaway to Wonder Reef. If you draw a line to Philip Park, The Spit, you’ll measure 2.5km, and the bewitching Gold Coast skyline is your above water view. With a permit, you can book your own private mooring at Wonder Reef and dive it yourself if you’re a certified diver, or join accredited commercial dive operator Gold Coast Dive Adventures for a guided dive instead.

What to expect at Wonder Reef

While a newbie in terms of time-in-sea, Wonder Reef has surprised many experts already, attracting a diverse range of sea life in and around its nine fabulous floating flutes.

Dropping in, and descending to our first check point at eight metres, the top of the spirals are visible, and surrounded by clouds of silver sequined mulloway glittering in the sun. At 12 metres we spy soft bodied nudibranchs sheltering beside twirls, and once illuminated by our torchlight (do pack a torch), the exquisite kaleidoscopic colours and feathery fluttering wings reveal why they are regarded as ‘butterflies of the sea.’

Visibility fluctuates, and is dependent on weather and currents, but we could easily make out the lineup of spirals linked like a necklace a mermaid would love to wear. Using them as our pathway, we explore each one, finding treasure at every curve. From the slippery tentacles of an octopus feeling out a new hiding spot, and a pretty painted crayfish working its antennae furiously while fossicking for a snack, the deeper we descend the more there is to see. The find of the day however was a dazzlingly lion fish dancing flamenco, hoping to attract a dance partner to devour.

The deepest part of the site includes a resting platform where underwater selfies have become a thing and where giant Queensland groupers have been spotted hanging out. There’s a series of swim throughs also, shrouded in sashaying soft corals which gives this enchanting underwater garden an other-worldly feel.  Meshing with schools of Indian scad fish who circle toward the sun, the bubbles from our regulators rise like a trail of tiny silver balloons following them.

Balloons rising were the inspiration behind artist Daniel Templeton’s exquisite living art. Exploring themes of movement, repetition, and immersion to attract not only divers to explore this oasis, but also scientists, architects, design creatives and the odd dreamer too.

Water temperate hovers around a balmy 20 degrees, but can range from between 18 and 24 degrees depending on season and current, if you don’t have a wet suit, Gold Coast Dive Adventures can kit you out. For an extra thrill, dive during whale season from July to November as you might be lucky enough to hear the whale singing or maybe even spot them as they cruise past.