Meet the site
Manta Bommie is North Stradbroke Island's most famous dive, ranked by Manta Lodge among the top 10 dive sites in Australia and described by marinelife.org.au as about the most popular dive in South East Queensland. It is a rocky reef bommie with small caves, walls and sand patches in 5-18 m, about 10 minutes from Point Lookout, and its reputation rests on one thing: between November and April, manta rays come to the bommie to be cleaned. Cleaner wrasse and other small fish work on the mantas as they hover over the reef, and divers who stay low and still can watch them circle overhead, sometimes several at a time. The site offers much more than mantas. Leopard sharks gather on the sand in summer, shovelnose rays (guitar sharks) and wobbegong and bamboo sharks rest on the bottom, turtles are common, and bull rays and eagle rays glide past. The rocks are covered in hard and soft corals and home to octopus, moray eels, lionfish and hundreds of tropical species. Australia Dive notes it can be run as a drift when the current is up. In winter, the mantas are gone, but visibility improves and the bommie becomes a spectacular general reef dive; grey nurse sharks and humpback whales are around in the colder months. Adreno warns that heavy surge is the main challenge, so it is best dived on calm days. With easy depths and a short boat ride, it suits divers of all levels, and for many visitors it is the reason to come to Straddie.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Manta Bommie is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in North Stradbroke 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.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- 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 Manta Bommie suitable for my certification?
The record lists 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 Manta 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
Manta rays (November-April), leopard sharks, shovelnose rays (guitar sharks), wobbegongs, bamboo sharks, turtles, bull rays, eagle rays, octopus, moray eels, lionfish, pelagics, tropical reef fish, hard and soft corals
Location
Rocky reef bommie with caves, walls and sand patches about 10 minutes by boat from Point Lookout, a manta ray cleaning station.
Facilities nearby
Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre (Point Lookout).
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
mantalodge.com.aumarinelife.org.augoldcoastdiveadventures.com.auadreno.com.auaustraliadive.com.auunidive.orgmyfavouriteescapes.comRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.