Simpson Artificial Reef

Meet the site

Simpson Artificial Reef is one of two modern purpose-built fish-habitat reefs in Hervey Bay. It consists of around 15 reinforced concrete modules, each weighing up to 24 tonnes, placed in five clusters of three across about 80 ha, roughly 7 nm from Urangan Harbour in 10-16 m of water. It is named after John Simpson, the first head lighthouse keeper on Woody Island.

The reef was designed primarily for recreational fishing, and marinelife.org.au notes that purpose. Each cluster is a compact structure on sand – a set of hollow concrete shapes with openings and overhangs that attract baitfish, reef fish and predators. Growth has steadily colonised the concrete since deployment, and Hervey Bay Dive Centre includes Simpson among the sites on its local dive trips, usually when conditions suit.

As a dive, it is small-scale: one cluster per dive, circling the modules and looking into the openings for cod, sweetlips and wobbegongs, with schools of baitfish and trevally overhead. The bay's usual limits apply – visibility is often 5 m or less, tidal current runs across the site, and fishing boats are frequently anchored on the marks, so discarded line is common and divers should check the surface before ascending.

Simpson suits Open Water divers who want a different structure from the historic hulls of Roy Rufus, and is a reasonable option when the strait is running too hard for the older reef. The modules are hollow, so shine a torch into the openings – the biggest fish tend to sit deep inside – but do not put your head or body into them.

What you might see

Baitfish, trevally, cod, sweetlips, wobbegongs, snapper, reef fish, encrusting growth

Location

Fish-habitat reef of about 15 concrete modules (up to 24 t each) in clusters of three over about 80 ha, roughly 7 nm from Urangan Harbour in 10-16 m.

Facilities nearby

Departure: Urangan Boat Harbour