Five Mile Reef is a football-ground-sized offshore reef rising from 42m to around 25m depth, located roughly 6.5 km (five miles) from the mouth of the Port Sorell Estuary on Tasmania's north coast. This temperate reef is renowned among divers for its dramatic underwater topography—a sheer wall of rock encrusted with colourful sponge gardens and kelp—and its rich marine life including giant cuttlefish, wrasse, and schools of Australian salmon. Accessible only by boat due to its offshore position, the reef offers a wild, exposed diving and snorkelling experience on calm days. Strong currents and deep water make this spot best suited to advanced snorkellers with boat support.
Five Mile Reef
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Wave Height 0.6 mSwell Period 5.0 sWind Speed 0.6 knPrecipitation 13 mmTidal Phase flood
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DANGER: Explicit Risks Present
Five Mile Reef has hazards marked as danger. Entering the water here means you may face serious risks to your personal safety.
- Depth and decompression risk danger
The reef rises from 42m to 25m — deep recreational diving limits require careful gas management; not suitable for free diving beginners.
The spot
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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High risk: Depth and decompression risk
The reef rises from 42m to 25m — deep recreational diving limits require careful gas management; not suitable for free diving beginners.
Moderate risk: Strong offshore currents
Tidal flows between the reef and the estuary mouth can produce strong currents that sweep snorkellers away from the reef.
Moderate risk: Exposed offshore conditions
Located 6.5 km offshore with no shelter; strong winds and southerly swells can develop rapidly, making boat handling and water safety hazardous.
Low risk: Boat traffic
Popular fishing destination with regular boat traffic around the reef; snorkellers must stay vigilant for vessels.
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Getting in
Boat
Entry
Five Mile Reef is located approximately 6.5 km due north of the Port Sorell estuary mouth. Launch from the Port Sorell boat ramp (Wilmot Street, Port Sorell) which features a dual-lane ramp with floating pontoon and ample trailer parking, or from the alternative Squeaking Point ramp (Charles Street, Squeaking Point) in westerly conditions. Head north from the estuary mouth; the reef is well-known to local boaters and marked on nautical charts.
Parking & facilities
The main boat ramp off Wilmot Street at Port Sorell has ample parking for vehicles with trailers (often 50+ cars on fine weekends). Squeaking Point ramp also offers parking.
parkingboat_ramp
No fees for ramp use. Narawntapu National Park camping area nearby has a separate fee if using that alternate ramp.
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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