Meet the site
Golden Bommies is the deep showpiece of the Governor Island Marine Reserve and is regularly ranked among the best temperate dives in Australia. The site has three parts: a main reef section that slopes from about 26 m down to the sand at 36-39 m, and two separate granite bommies standing roughly 10 m proud of the sand to the north. The bommie tops sit at around 26 m, so there is no shallow section to retreat to and the whole dive is conducted in the high-20s to high-30s.
The name comes from the carpet of yellow zoanthids that covers the bommie walls. Among them grow dense stands of sea whips, many decorated with jewel anemones, plus sponges in red, orange and purple, basket stars and small gorgonians. Michael McFadyen describes schools of seapike, bastard trumpeter, banded morwong and butterfly perch so thick that they almost hid the bommie itself, and long-snouted boarfish, cuttlefish, sea spiders and nudibranchs are regular finds. Because the reserve has been no-take since 1991, southern rock lobster are large and relatively unafraid.
The layout is simple once you know it: follow the eastern edge of the main reef north, cross a short stretch of sand to the bommies and circle them before heading back. The difficulty is depth and time rather than navigation, and in poor visibility the bommies can be missed entirely. On a clear winter day with 20 m or more of visibility the effect of the golden walls rising out of white sand is striking, and photographers often plan several dives here.
This is a dive for experienced, deep-qualified divers who are comfortable in cold water and managing a short no-decompression window. Newer divers get a better experience at Bird Rock or Muirs Rock first. With no regular dive shop in Bicheno at present, most visitors reach Golden Bommies on club trips or the annual Combined Clubs Weekend.
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 Tasmania East Coast. 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.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- 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
Yellow zoanthids, sea whips with jewel anemones, sponges, basket stars, gorgonians, butterfly perch, seapike, bastard trumpeter, banded morwong, long-snouted boarfish, southern rock lobster, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, sea spiders
Location
Two granite bommies and an adjoining reef slope off the north-eastern corner of Governor Island, inside the Governor Island Marine Reserve, a few hundred metres east of Bicheno.
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
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infoccwtasmania.commarinelife.org.auparks.tas.gov.aumudgeediveandtravel.comindopacificimages.com50greatdives.comRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.