Mooloolaba · Australia · Reef · Wall
Old Woman Island
Sheltered ledge from 16 m up to 5 m, thick with nudibranchs
Photo: zpunout · CC BY-SA 3.0
A ledge off an island about a kilometre from the coast, running from 16 metres up to 5, which makes for a long shallow dive with easy navigation. Being an island, it gives divers protection from most wind directions, and Sunreef calls it a sheltered reef that is perfect for training dives. Nudibranchs are the reason many divers come, and Scuba World calls it a haven for turtles.
Also known as Mudjimba Island.
Where it is and how deep
26.6147° S, 153.1147° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive is a ledge that Sunreef describes as a wall, running from 16 metres up to 5, so you can start on the deep end and work shallow along it until the tank runs down. Navigation is easy, mainly because the ledge can be followed in an east-west direction and brought back on the same line, and Scuba World rates the south side of the island as the better half for marine life.
Nudibranchs are the constant here: Scuba World describes an abundance of them and Sunreef names a variety of species along the rock. Crayfish and cowrie shells sit in the cuts, wobbegong sharks lie up under the ledge, and rays and turtles pass along it, the island being described as a haven for turtles. The shallow end at 5 metres is where safety stops turn into more macro hunting.
Background
Mudjimba is the island's Aboriginal name and translates as Old Woman, with its origin in an indigenous Dreamtime story. The island is also associated with a legend of two women who were stranded there and gathered Midyam berries as food. Both names are still in use on the water, and the local operators list the same piece of rock as Old Woman Island and as Mudjimba Island depending on whose site list you read.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Sea turtles
- Wobbegongs
- Stingrays
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Mooloolaba: Grey nurse sharks hold at Nurse Rock July–October, the months operators also rate clearest; summer is murkier and falls inside the November–April cyclone season.
Photos from Old Woman Island
zpunout · CC BY-SA 3.0
Questions divers ask
Is Old Woman Island suitable for new divers?+
Yes. The ledge runs from 16 metres up to 5, the island shelters the site from most wind directions, and Sunreef describes it as sheltered and suitable for training dives.
Sources
- Mudjimba Island — Sunreef Scuba
- Mooloolaba Reef Diving — Scuba World
- Mudjimba Island Reef SW — Scubago
- Mudjimba, Queensland — Wikipedia
Photo credits
- Mudjimba Island (Old Woman Island) silhouetted offshore in mist before sunrise, seen over dark foreground rocks. by zpunout, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Daytime view of Mudjimba Island across the water from Mudjimba Beach, with a wooden beach-access fence in the foreground. by zpunout, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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