Meet the site
Little Broadhurst Reef lies in the Broadhurst group east of Townsville, and its best-known site is Barra Bommie, which the Marine Life Network singles out as an excellent night dive on overnight charter trips. The Broadhurst reefs are part of the mid-to-outer shelf band that Townsville liveaboards worked through the 1980s and 1990s. Neighbouring Broadhurst Reef is described as having pinnacles, cracks and crevices teeming with fish and covered with hard and soft corals, sea whips and gorgonians, and Barra Bommie is likely to share that character: a free-standing coral head rising from sand or rubble, with overhangs and crevices around its base and a shallow top. At night, such bommies are ideal: sleeping parrotfish in mucus cocoons, hunting moray eels, painted crayfish and slipper lobsters, shrimps, crabs, feather stars open to feed and, if lucky, a Spanish dancer or cuttlefish. A bommie is also simple to navigate in the dark – down the anchor line, around the base and back up the sides – which is why charter skippers favour sites like this for the night dive. Access is only by overnight or multi-day charter; the reef is well outside day-trip range. The name suggests past sightings of barramundi cod or barracuda but this is not documented. Before relying on this site, confirm its exact location and status with a charter operator. It is included here because it appears in regional site listings and is part of the documented Townsville reef system.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Little Broadhurst Reef – Barra Bommie is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Townsville & Magnetic Island. The listed access is boat (multi-day/liveaboard). 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
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 Little Broadhurst Reef – Barra Bommie 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 Little Broadhurst Reef – Barra Bommie 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
Night: painted crayfish, slipper lobsters, moray eels, sleeping parrotfish, crabs, shrimps, feather stars; day: reef fish, hard and soft corals, sea whips, gorgonians
Location
Bommie on Little Broadhurst Reef in the reef system east of Townsville, known as an excellent night dive on overnight charters.
Facilities nearby
Charter departures from Breakwater Marina, Townsville.
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
marinelife.org.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
