Meet the site
M & K Reef is a small, deep wall on the coast between Little Bay and Cape Banks, found in mid-2008 by St George Scuba Club member John Beddie and named after Michael McFadyen and his wife Kelly, whose wedding reception had just been held at the golf club on the cliff above. It is typical of the good deep reef that lies along this stretch and that almost nobody dives because the charter boats run straight past to Magic Point. The wall runs north–south with its top at about 22–23 m on the seaward side and its base at 27 m, and off the wall the bottom is rock and kelp sloping gradually to 30 m with a few small drops. North of the anchorage a huge rock has come to rest against the wall to form a large but low swim-through, and near the anchor an isolated 'island' of reef creates a gully and a pinch point. The face has small cracks and overhangs all along it. Sponge and sea-squirt cover is dense and colourful, with some fine gorgonians, and the kelp on the slope holds weedy seadragons. Fish are plentiful for a deep site: yellowtail, silver sweep and seapike in good numbers over the reef, leatherjackets working the growth, eastern blue devilfish in the caves and cuttlefish on the slope. At this depth the dive is a short one – around 20 minutes on air before deco – so the route must be efficient: north along the wall for ten minutes to where it turns east, then back over the top. It suits experienced deep divers with their own boat wanting an uncrowded first dive out of Botany Bay, followed by something shallow like Long Bay or Cape Banks.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
M & K Reef is recorded as Wall in Sydney South & Botany Bay. 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.
- 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 M & K Reef 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 M & K Reef 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
Weedy seadragon, eastern blue devilfish, cuttlefish, yellowtail, silver sweep, seapike, leatherjackets, sponges, sea squirts, gorgonians
Location
North–south wall about 2 km north of Cape Banks off St Michael's Golf Club, Little Bay; wall top 22–23 m, base 27 m, sloping to 30 m.
Facilities nearby
None.
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.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
