Lady Elliot Island · Australia · Pinnacle · Reef
Three Pyramids
Resident leaf scorpionfish on bommies at 18 m
Area photo: Christo.j.brown · CC BY-SA 4.0
Three coral bommies standing off the western side of the cay in 18 m, dived mainly for macro. Resident leaf scorpionfish, cleaner shrimp, glassfish, pipefish and anthias work the coral, barracuda hang over the sand nearby, and the largest of the three bommies doubles as a manta cleaning stop.
Where it is and how deep
24.1103° S, 152.7106° EPublished position for this site.
Site maps published elsewhere
The dive
The boat drops you over the bommies and you descend to the base of the three coral heads, at the site's 18 m. The dive is a slow circuit of each one rather than a route across ground — most of what is worth seeing here is small, and it is found by working the coral surfaces closely instead of covering distance.
A couple of resident leaf scorpionfish sit tucked into the coral and are the reason photographers come, holding still enough to light properly with a strobe. Cleaner shrimp, glassfish, pipefish and anthias fill out the rest of the small life across the three heads, and out over the surrounding sand barracuda lurk in small groups.
The largest of the three bommies is also a stop-off for manta rays coming in for a clean, so it is worth settling on the sand a little back from that head and waiting rather than crowding it — the same etiquette the island's other cleaning stations run on. Manta or no manta, the dive ends the same way: work the shallower water over the tops of the bommies as the gas runs down, then ascend clear of the coral for the boat pickup.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
- Barracuda
- Manta rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Lady Elliot Island: Mantas peak May–Aug when cooler water brings them in; humpbacks pass Jun–Oct and turtles nest Nov–Mar.
Questions divers ask
What is there to see at Three Pyramids?+
Macro life mostly: resident leaf scorpionfish, cleaner shrimp, glassfish, pipefish and anthias on the three bommies, with barracuda in small groups over the sand nearby. The largest bommie is also used by manta rays as a cleaning stop.
Is Three Pyramids good for photography?+
Yes, particularly macro. The resident leaf scorpionfish hold position well under a strobe, and the bommies concentrate the small subjects into a small area you can work slowly across a full dive at 18 m.
Sources
- Dive Sites & Map — Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort (Internet Archive)
- Three Pyramids - Lady Elliot Island — Scubago
More dive sites in Lady Elliot Island
Pinnacle
A manta cleaning station beside a coral-covered Admiralty anchor
Cave & cavern
An L-shaped cave in from 14 m and out of the wall at 22 m
Coral garden
Shallow coral regrown since the 1992 cyclone, and a strong night dive
Cave & cavern
A twin-entrance overhang at 24 m below a 16 m cleaning station
Pinnacle
The island's main manta cleaning station, in 14 m of water
Pinnacle
Loose bommie field in 14–19 m that rays and sharks cross
Reef
Branching coral gardens in 5–12 m with three turtle species
Wreck
The island's only wreck, coral-grown at 21 m since 1999
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