Meet the site
Mudjimba Island, also called Old Woman Island, is the small rocky island off Mudjimba Beach that you see from almost anywhere on the northern Sunshine Coast. Because divers can always find a side sheltered from the wind, it is the region's all-weather site: the place operators go when the offshore reefs are too rough, and where most Sunshine Coast divers do their training dives.
Sunreef describes a wall running from 16 m up to 5 m, and Weekend Notes coral gardens 'at just two metres deep', with fields of hard and soft coral cut by gullies, ledges, bommies and small drop-offs. The shallow upper reef, at about 3-5 m, is Scuba World's main snorkelling destination, with hard and soft corals, tropical fish, turtles and crustaceans.
It is an excellent macro site. Sunreef lists crayfish, wobbegong sharks, a variety of nudibranchs, cowries, rays and turtles; Scuba Diver Life and PADI add lionfish, hermit crabs, cowries, boxfish, cuttlefish, octopus, mantis shrimp, boxer shrimp, gobies and flatworms. The Sea Slug Forum notes it as a good shallow site surrounded by sand with rock and coral reef, and Weekend Notes rates it ideal for macro photography, with butterflyfish, moray eels, wrasse, angelfish, morwong, surgeonfish, damsels and pufferfish all common.
The island is only about 1.5 km off Mudjimba Beach and is a landmark for the whole northern Sunshine Coast; dive trips stay in the water and do not land on it.
Mudjimba suits new divers, snorkellers, photographers and anyone wanting a relaxed, shallow dive with long bottom times. Experienced divers treat it as a macro dive or a second dive after the Brisbane or the outer reefs.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Mudjimba Island is recorded as Island in Sunshine Coast. 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.
- 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.
- 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 Mudjimba Island 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 Mudjimba Island 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
Hard and soft corals, crayfish, wobbegongs, nudibranchs, cowries, cuttlefish, octopus, mantis shrimp, boxer shrimp, flatworms, lionfish, boxfish, moray eels, butterflyfish, angelfish, wrasse, morwong, surgeonfish, damsels, pufferfish, gobies, rays, turtles
Location
Small rocky island about 1.5 km off Mudjimba Beach, north of Mooloolaba, ringed by shallow coral gardens and a wall from 5 m to 16 m; the Sunshine Coast's all-weather training and snorkelling site.
Facilities nearby
Departure: The Wharf, Mooloolaba
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
sunreef.com.auscubaworld.com.auscubadiverlife.comweekendnotes.comsubsurfacescuba.comgooddive.comblog.padi.comseaslugforum.netRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.