North Stradbroke Island · Australia · Reef
Flat Rock - Blue Corner
Deep reef at 28 to 45 m with resident bull sharks
Area photo: Tanya Dedyukhina · CC BY 3.0
Blue Corner is a section of deep reef a short swim due north of the Shark Alley mooring, on the ocean side of Flat Rock. It ranges from 28 m to 45 m and the dive centre grades it Master Diver or technical. The corner is known for its population of bull and sandbar whaler sharks, and the reef itself is worked into nooks and crannies that hold varied marine life.
Also known as Blue Corner.
Where it is and how deep
27.3871° S, 153.5637° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive starts at the Shark Alley mooring: a short swim north of it is the section of deep reef known as Blue Corner, on the ocean side of Flat Rock. The reef here ranges in depth from 28 m to 45 m, so it is a short, deep dive with the profile settled before anyone gets in the water, and the dive centre grades it Master Diver or technical rather than an ordinary advanced dive.
Depth is only half of the grading. This area can be prone to current, and divers need to be confident and capable of a free ascent from the reef to the surface. Large bull sharks frequent the corner and it is well known for its population of bull and sandbar whaler sharks, while the reef between them is a cornucopia of varied marine life weaving in and out of its many nooks and crannies.
Marine life and season
- Bull sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows North Stradbroke Island: Mantas work the Manta Bommie cleaning stations Oct–Apr; grey nurse sharks and humpbacks arrive Jun–Oct, when visibility is also at its best. Boats run Friday to Tuesday.
Know before you go
- This area can be prone to current, and the dive centre expects divers confident and capable of a free ascent from the reef to the surface.
- The reef starts at 28 m and drops to 45 m, so bottom time is short and the dive has to be planned as a deep one from the outset.
Sources
- Dive Sites — Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre — Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre
- Flat Rock - Blue Corner — Scubago
More dive sites in North Stradbroke Island
Shore dive timed for slack water at the top of the tide
Wall
Near-vertical walls dived four or five times a year
Flat Rock's shallow corner, 4 to 18 m over juvenile fish
Winter sand channel where grey nurse sharks gather
Small cave at 10 m on Flat Rock's northern side
Reef
Shallow cleaning stations that mantas work from October to April
Reef
Decompression depths, strong current, whaler sharks
Reef
The area's shelter dive, 800 m off Home Beach
Similar dives elsewhere
Gentle coral slope that plunges to 50 m
Folded, weed-covered rock sloping off the point to sand at 9 m
Broken ground in 10-15 m carrying juvenile fish in thousands
Swim-throughs and overhangs among Flynn Reef's smaller bommies