Arthur Bay
The coral and fish are along the headlands. Off one of them lies the Octopus wreck, thought to be a bucket dredge from 1928 and often mistaken for the Platypus. It sits in about 8–10 m, deep enough for an easy inshore dive but still visible to snorkellers. A resident turtle is often seen in the bay.
Arthur Bay’s reef was damaged by Cyclone Kirrily early in 2024 and is expected to recover gradually.
Florence Bay
Florence Bay has large coral bommies with a good mix of reef fish, rays and, quite often, blacktip reef sharks. A small corner of the bay that locals call Mermaid Cove is a favourite snorkel. Casuarinas shade the beach.
Conditions
Shelter from the prevailing winds usually means good visibility here. Don’t stand on coral. Marine stingers are present in tropical Queensland waters all year, with the highest risk from November to May; the Queensland Government suggests a full-body lycra suit for protection.
Where it is
What you might see
- Turtles
- Rays
- Blacktip reef sharks
- Coral bommies
- Reef fish
- Octopus wreck
Nearby sites
- Shore dive · Arcadia, Magnetic Island Alma BayAlma Bay is a small, often sheltered beach at Arcadia on Magnetic Island, patrolled by lifeguards and closed to boats. Its coral gardens are on the right-hand headland.
- Shore dive · Arcadia, Magnetic Island Geoffrey Bay snorkel trailGeoffrey Bay, off Arcadia on Magnetic Island, has one of the island’s two marked snorkel trails. It crosses fringing reef with giant clams and ends near the wreck of the Moltke.
- Shore dive · Nelly Bay, Magnetic Island Nelly Bay snorkel trailNelly Bay has Magnetic Island’s easiest snorkel trail, starting about 100 m off the beach and a 20-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Divers also log shallow shore dives here.
