Bird Island is a small, rocky islet in the Whitsundays offering a unique shore dive and snorkel site with interesting rock formations, shallow caves, ledges, and gullies down to 8 metres. The bottom drops from rocky shallows to coral rubble and silty sand at 6-15 metres. While coral cover is moderate, the fish life can be excellent — expect large cod, sweetlip, and trevally patrolling the rocky ledges. The site is very exposed to currents, making it best suited for drift diving or staying close to the island's perimeter.
Bird Island dive site
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Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.1 mSwell Period 2.5 sWind Speed 15 knPrecipitation 0.8 mmTidal Phase flood
Last evaluated
The spot
Community-maintained
Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Moderate risk: Strong tidal currents
The site is very open to tidal currents, especially away from the island's lee side. Drift diving is recommended, or stay close to shore.
Moderate risk: Exposed to wind and swell
Exposed to strong south-easterly trade winds and swell, which can make entry and exit challenging.
Low risk: Variable visibility (2-12m)
Visibility can be poor (2-12 metres) and is adversely affected by tide and wind, particularly after storms or big swells.
Low risk: Sharp rocks and coral rubble
Bottom consists of coral rubble and silty sand below 6-8 metres, with sharp rocks in shallows — bare feet risk injury.
Wildlife Guide
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Getting in
Shore entry
Entry
Bird Island is located in the Whitsundays, accessible by private boat or charter tours departing from Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour, or Hamilton Island. The island lies between Hook Island and Whitsunday Island.
Parking & facilities
No parking on the island. Launch from public boat ramps at Shute Harbour or Abel Point Marina (Airlie Beach). Parking available at these marinas (fees apply). Best accessed via snorkel tour or bareboat charter.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports