Meet the site
Bubble Cave is one of the smaller novelty features of North Solitary Island's varied reef system, a rock cavity where trapped air forms a pocket that divers can rise into briefly during the dive — a quirk of the island's geology that has made the site a minor local attraction alongside its more conventional reef diving. It sits within the same general area as Anemone Bay and Fish Soup on North Solitary Island, and is generally worked into a broader day of diving around the island rather than targeted as a stand-alone destination. Outside the cave feature itself, the surrounding reef in 6 to 18 m holds a fairly typical selection of Solitary Islands life: schooling bullseyes, resident crayfish, wobbegong sharks and moray eels occupy the ledges and crevices, and the general visibility and water quality matches the rest of North Solitary Island — usually 15 to 25 m and among the best in the marine park given the site's distance from the mainland and any river outflow. The cave itself needs to be treated with appropriate caution: while the air pocket inside is a novelty, it should never be relied upon as a source of breathable air in an emergency, since its composition and quality are unmonitored and it can trap surge in anything but genuinely calm conditions. Divers should only attempt to enter the air chamber under the guidance of a Wooli Dive Centre divemaster familiar with the site, and should treat the approach as an overhead environment requiring the same caution as any other small cave or swim-through. As with the rest of North Solitary Island, the site requires the full 75-minute boat commitment from Wooli and is genuinely at the mercy of the day's swell and current.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
North Solitary Island – Bubble Cave is recorded as Cave/Cavern in Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands. 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.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
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 North Solitary Island – Bubble Cave 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 North Solitary Island – Bubble Cave 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
Bullseyes, crayfish, wobbegongs, moray eels, reef fish typical of North Solitary Island
Location
An air-pocket cave on North Solitary Island where divers can surface briefly inside an air chamber within the rock, part of the same broken reef system as Anemone Bay and Fish Soup.
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
jettydive.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.