Meet the site
Shag Rock is Point Lookout's workhorse dive: close to shore, the most protected of the boat sites and diveable when almost everything else is blown out. It is an exposed rocky islet – in fact two small islands, visible from Cylinder Beach – with reef in 6-20 m around it, averaging about 10 m. Its best-known feature is a swim-through cave that runs through the rock and links both sides, which Manta Lodge calls spectacular. There are also gullies and further swim-throughs, including a shallow gully on the south-eastern side at about 4 m. Despite being inshore and heavily dived, it is full of life. Manta Lodge lists wobbegong and bamboo (epaulette-type cat) sharks, eagle and bull rays, turtles, octopus, eels, nudibranchs, stonefish, sea urchins, corals and tropical fish, with occasional leopard sharks, manta rays and, in season, grey nurse sharks. Gold Coast Dive Adventures adds electric rays, frogfish, porcupinefish, anemones and pelagic fish, and Australia Dive mentions loggerhead and hawksbill turtles, shrimps and squid. Adreno notes it is good for night diving. Because it is shallow and sheltered, Shag Rock is used for open water training and for divers who want an easy, long dive, but it also rewards experienced divers and photographers with its macro life. Visibility is its main weakness: inshore water can be green and limited after rain or rough weather, though it clears in winter and after calm spells. It is a good first dive of a Straddie weekend and an excellent night dive. It is also close enough for a quick afternoon dive.
What you might see
Wobbegongs, catsharks/bamboo sharks, eagle rays, bull rays, electric rays, turtles (green, loggerhead, hawksbill), octopus, moray eels, nudibranchs, frogfish, stonefish, porcupinefish, squid, anemones, sea urchins, occasional leopard sharks, manta rays and grey nurse sharks
Location
Exposed rocky islet with a swim-through cave, visible from Cylinder Beach, a 6-8 minute boat ride from Point Lookout.
Facilities nearby
Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre (Point Lookout); Cylinder Beach facilities nearby.
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.augoldcoastdiveadventures.com.auaustraliadive.com.auadreno.com.aumarinelife.org.auunidive.orgRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.