Meet the site
Anchor Bommie takes its name from a huge old admiralty-pattern anchor that sits in the sand beside the bommie at about 19 m, now covered in soft corals. The bommie itself stands about 7 m tall and hosts a manta ray cleaning station, making it one of several western-side sites where mantas are regularly seen. The anchor is a relic of the island's shipwreck history; Lady Elliot's reefs claimed many vessels before and after the lighthouse was built in 1873. Today it provides a striking photographic subject, with soft corals and fish covering its flukes and shank. Macro life is excellent: anemone shrimp, Durban hinge-beak shrimp and colourful anthias crowd the bommie, and garden eels rise from the sand at its base. Fish swirl around the structure, and when mantas are in the area they visit the cleaning station on top. Depth is similar to the nearby Three Pyramids, and the site is sheltered in the prevailing south-easterlies, so it is suitable for Open Water divers. Photographers should plan for both macro, on the bommie, and wide-angle, for the anchor and mantas. As at all Lady Elliot cleaning stations, the best encounters come from staying low and still, a few metres away from the bommie, and letting the mantas come in. Lady Elliot's reefs sit within a Marine National Park (Green) Zone, and the island itself has been restored from a nineteenth-century guano-mining past by decades of revegetation, so the site reflects a well-protected ecosystem. Leave the anchor exactly as it is: it is part of the island's maritime heritage, and its soft-coral cover is easily damaged by divers resting on it or holding it for photographs.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Anchor Bommie (Lady Elliot Island) is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Lady Elliot Island. The listed access is boat (day trip). Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Anchor Bommie (Lady Elliot Island) suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Anchor Bommie (Lady Elliot Island) through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Manta rays (cleaning station), anemone shrimp, Durban hinge-beak shrimp, anthias, garden eels, soft corals, reef fish
Location
A 7 m-tall bommie marked by a huge soft-coral-covered admiralty anchor at about 19 m on the western side; a manta cleaning station with garden eels at its base.
Facilities nearby
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort: PADI dive shop (gear hire, courses, fills), rinse area, lockers; resort restaurant, bar and accommodation. Island access by resort flights only.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
ladyelliot.com.auoceanity.com.aumarinelife.org.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
