Child Island is a dramatic, craggy islet in the Keppel Islands group with a submerged landscape sculpted by millennia. Large boulders tumble from the island into the sea, creating a maze of swim-throughs, overhangs, and caverns. The site is best dived as a gentle drift dive, finishing over shallow coral gardens at 5 metres where plate corals form a surreal, terraced seascape. Strong currents through the adjacent channel ("The Gulch") attract schooling pelagics, while the sheltered side offers rich macro life including colourful nudibranchs and sea stars. With consistently excellent visibility, Child Island is considered one of the most exciting dive sites in the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
Child Island Dive Site
IntermediateGO
GO
It's a go.
Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.1 mSwell Period 3.3 sWind Speed 1.0 knPrecipitation 0.0 mmTidal Phase flood
Last evaluated
The spot
Community-maintained
Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
Know before you go
Logged by the community, confirmed by mods
Moderate risk: Strong tidal currents
Tidal currents can be strong, especially in the channel (The Gulch) between Child Island and Barron Island. Drift dives are common.
Low risk: Offshore swell and wind exposure
Child Island is a fair distance offshore and conditions can change rapidly. Best dived in calm weather.
Low risk: Overhead rock formations / swim-throughs
Large boulder formations create overhead environments and swim-throughs that require careful navigation.
Wildlife Guide
No wildlife notes for this spot yet.
Gallery
Be the first to share a photo
No photos yet — yours could be the first.
Photos are reviewed by moderators before they appear.
Getting in
Boat
Entry
Child Island is located in the Keppel Islands group off the coast of Yeppoon, Queensland. Access is via ferry from Rosslyn Bay Marina (Yeppoon) to Great Keppel Island, then a dive boat from Great Keppel Island to Child Island. Keppel Konnections and Freedom Fast Cats operate daily ferries from Rosslyn Bay to Great Keppel Island (30 min). Dive charters run by Keppel Dives and Watersports (based at Great Keppel Island) take divers to Child Island.
Parking & facilities
Parking available at Rosslyn Bay Marina car park, Yeppoon, Queensland. Arrive early as spaces fill quickly during peak season. Fees apply in some areas near the marina. Free parking is limited on nearby streets. There is no parking on the islands themselves — all island access is via ferry or boat.
Spot Map
Community
Trust
Is this spot real, accurate, still loved?
Spots near Queensland
No nearby spots yet.
Needs verification
Quick verify
One tap helps the community keep this spot honest.
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