Meet the site
Golden Bommies is one of the least-documented and most tempting of Phillip Island's boat sites: a field of rock bommies standing on a 38 m floor about 2.5 km south of Pyramid Rock, with their tops at about 20 m. Scuba Doctor gives the position and the depth range and rates it Deep/Technical but records nothing about the reef itself, and there is little in print from club divers, so what follows is inferred from the name, the depth and the neighbouring reefs. The name refers to the colour of the growth. At this depth on the open Bass Strait coast, out of reach of surge and grazing, rock in the tidal stream is typically sheeted in yellow zoanthids and golden sponge, with gorgonian fans, sea whips and bryozoan lace on the walls, and that is what divers report from the comparable deep reefs off Cape Woolamai and the Prom. Bommies concentrate fish, so expect dense schools of butterfly perch and bullseyes on the up-current faces, boarfish and morwong on the ledges, blue devils in the caves and crayfish at the base, with visiting kingfish and seals in season. The dive is short by necessity – at 25–30 m average depth in 13 °C water the no-decompression window is tight – and it is a site for divers who are comfortable with deep descents on a shot line, tidal current and a surface interval spent well offshore in a small boat. It is not on any operator's schedule and is dived only when a club or private boat has a rare flat day and wants something beyond The Pinnacles. For those divers it offers what the outer Phillip Island coast does best: clear water, big structure and colour, without another boat in sight. Treat the depth and remoteness with respect and confirm the reef's character for yourself.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Golden Bommies is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Phillip Island & Western Port. The listed access is boat. 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
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 Golden Bommies suitable for my certification?
The record lists Deep/Advanced + experience. 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 Golden Bommies 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
Zoanthids and sponge gardens (inferred), gorgonians and sea whips, butterfly perch, bullseyes, boarfish, morwong, blue devils, southern rock lobster, kingfish and fur seals in season
Location
Deep bommie field about 2.5 km south of Pyramid Rock off the southern coast of Phillip Island in Bass Strait.
Facilities nearby
Departure from Newhaven boat ramp; No air fills on Phillip Island; nearest fills on the Mornington Peninsula (Rye/Portsea) or in Melbourne's south-east
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
scubadoctor.com.auscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.