Meet the site
The Supermarket is rated 8.5 out of 10 by the Marine Life Network guide, which calls it one of Tasmania's most beautiful dives. It is an extensive sandstone reef about 500 m offshore north of Blowhole Creek, with a central wall about 4 m high whose heavily eroded face has unusual rock pillars supporting ledges. Thick gorgonian fans and ledges packed with anemones cover it, and Bass Strait fish - long-snouted boarfish, magpie perch and wrasse - are common. The site was discovered by Neale of King Island Dive Charters; it was once full of crayfish, although numbers had declined heavily. The guide warns that careless finning destroys the delicate gorgonians.
King Island's reefs are best known to divers for their crayfish, which grow large in the cool, nutrient-rich Bass Strait water, and for sandstone and granite ledges covered in gorgonians, zoanthids and sponges. The Marine Life Network descriptions date from when King Island Dive Charters operated from Grassy; with no current operator, these sites are now visited only by divers who organise their own boat, and fishing pressure has reduced crayfish numbers since.
Recreational rock lobster and abalone fishing in Tasmanian waters needs a licence and is subject to seasons, size and bag limits. The east coast around Grassy is the reliable side of the island when westerly swell closes the west coast, and the island's lack of a chamber means aeromedical evacuation for any diving injury, so conservative dives are the rule.
This is a site for self-sufficient visiting divers with their own boat and a local contact; there is no one on the island currently guiding dives here, and the position given is an estimate from the published description.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
The Supermarket (King Island) is recorded as Reef in King 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.
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 The Supermarket (King 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 The Supermarket (King 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
Gorgonian fans, anemones, sponges, long-snouted boarfish, magpie perch, wrasse, crayfish
Location
An extensive sandstone reef about 500 m offshore north of Blowhole Creek with a 4 m-high central wall, eroded pillars and ledges packed with gorgonians and anemones.
Facilities nearby
Grassy: harbour, boat ramp, small shop/accommodation. Currie: supermarket, cafes, fuel, accommodation, King Island Historical Museum (lighthouse keeper's cottage), hospital (no chamber). Grassy: harbour and boat ramp. No confirmed public air-fill station - arrange locally.
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
marinelife.org.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.