Meet the site
Toothpaste – a local pun on its position at the end of Toothbrush Island – is the southern-end dive on Flinders Islet and a relaxed, shallow site that suits newer divers and makes a good second dive after the Bombo or a deeper island dive. The reef rises from about 24 m offshore to a flat top at 10–12 m, and the main feature is a two-to-three-metre wall of the distinctive pink rock seen all along the Wollongong coast.
The wall runs east from the usual anchor spot, turns north-east and then west to form a small point before swinging south again, so a slow circuit brings you back to the boat without much navigation. Between the wall and the extensive kelp beds is a corridor of boulders and rubble where most of the life is concentrated. The face of the wall and the boulders carry sea tulips, sponges and gorgonians in pink, red, orange and yellow. Large schools of bullseyes hang under the overhangs at the northern end, and big smooth and eagle rays – locally called bull rays – like to rest on the sand around the north-eastern point.
The kelp is worth exploring on a clear day for leatherjackets, wrasse and the occasional weedy sea dragon, and it is where you will find the most shelter from any current. There is nothing dramatic here in the way of caves or swim-throughs; the appeal is an easy, colourful, fish-rich dive with a simple route and depths that allow a long bottom time. Combine it with the cave and gutters at the northern end of the same island for a full morning's diving with a very short boat ride.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Toothpaste is recorded as Wall in Wollongong & Kiama. 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.
- 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 Toothpaste suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced 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 Toothpaste 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 (large schools), bull rays and smooth stingrays, sea tulips, sponges, gorgonians, leatherjackets, wrasse, one-spot pullers, blue groper, weedy sea dragons
Location
Low pink-rock wall and kelp reef at the southern end of Flinders Islet (Toothbrush Island), Five Islands Nature Reserve off Port Kembla.
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
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
