Private Tangalooma Wrecks Snorkelling from Brisbane
Fifteen scuttled ships resting in sheltered water, wrapped in coral and swarming with fish. You snorkel them with Captain Jeremy, owner and marine scientist, on your own boat, timed to the tide instead of a timetable.
- 6-hour private charter
- Up to 7 guests
- Departs New Farm or Manly Boat Harbour
What the Wrecks actually are
Between 1963 and 1984, fifteen retired vessels, dredges, barges and flatboats, were deliberately scuttled in a line off the western shore of Moreton Island to form a safe anchorage. The bay had other plans. Four decades on, the hulls have become one of Queensland's most remarkable artificial reefs: coral creeping over rusted steel, and more than 100 species of fish living in and around the wrecks.
Drop your face in the water and it's all there at once: schools of yellowtail flickering through the hulls, wrasse and butterflyfish working the coral, wobbegong sharks dozing in the shade of the plating, and, on a good day, a green sea turtle cruising past like it owns the place. Because it does.
Here's the part a scheduled day boat cannot give you: Captain Jeremy, owner and marine scientist, doesn't just anchor and hand you a mask. He tells you what you're about to see, why the wobbegong won't bother you, how a sunken dredge turns into a living reef, and which end of the line the turtles favour. You come up from the water knowing what you just swam through.
Snorkelling suitability depends on swimming confidence and the conditions, and strong currents can occur around the wrecks, so tell Jeremy about your group before you book. Queensland Parks publishes the activities and safety information for Moreton Island.
Your boat, timed to the tide.
A scheduled day boat moves a lot of people to the wrecks at once, and it runs to a timetable: you snorkel when the schedule says so, and you leave when the schedule says so.
On a private charter, the boat is exclusively yours. Jeremy plans your departure around slack tide, when the current eases, rather than around a timetable. Snorkelling time is planned around your group, the conditions and the day's itinerary, with quality gear included and fitted to you, and when you climb back aboard there is champagne and lunch waiting instead of a queue.
Everything on board already
- Snorkelling gear
- Quality masks, snorkels and fins sized to the group, fitted properly before you get in.
- Gourmet lunch
- A French style spread served on deck, not a sandwich in a paper bag.
- Champagne
- Complimentary champagne, chilled and poured after the swim, while the salt dries on your shoulders.
- Photos of your day
- Jeremy captures your group at the wrecks and on the water, and sends them afterwards.
Rates, per boat
The same fully private charter every time, about six hours. The only variable is who's coming.
Per boat for two guests, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Queensland public holidays. $1,290 Monday to Thursday.
Per boat for up to four guests, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Queensland public holidays. $1,690 Monday to Thursday.
Per boat for up to seven guests, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Queensland public holidays. $2,200 Monday to Thursday.
Midweek rates apply automatically to Monday to Thursday departures.
Check availabilityBefore you dive in
Do I need snorkelling experience?
Suitability depends on swimming confidence and the conditions, and strong currents can occur around the wrecks, so tell Jeremy about your group before booking. Jeremy fits your mask properly, gets you comfortable in shallow water first, and stays close the whole time. Noodles and flotation aids are on board, and you can watch the wrecks from the boat if you’d rather stay dry.
When does Jeremy plan the snorkel for?
Around slack tide, the still window between the tidal flows, when the current eases. Water clarity varies with the conditions, wind, recent weather and tides. Because your boat is private, Jeremy plans the day around that window for your date rather than around a timetable.
Is it suitable for children?
Tell Jeremy each child’s age and swimming confidence before booking so he can confirm equipment and activities. Accompanying adults supervise children throughout, and children count towards the seven guest maximum. Children’s gear and flotation aids are on board, and as a marine scientist Jeremy is very good at turning a snorkel into a science lesson.
What happens if the weather turns?
The captain makes the call, always on the side of safety. If conditions are not right for the wrecks we reroute to more sheltered water on the bay that day. If Jeremy cancels before departure for weather or safety, you choose an agreed alternative date or a full refund. A charter that runs safely is not refunded because conditions were less than ideal.
How far are the Tangalooma Wrecks from Brisbane?
The wrecks lie just off the western side of Moreton Island, roughly 40 kilometres from Brisbane. From Manly Boat Harbour the crossing is about 45 minutes, conditions permitting. From New Farm Powerhouse, allow about 15 minutes down the Brisbane River before you reach the bay.
The facts
- Duration
- About six hours
- Guests
- 2 to 7, always one private group. Children count towards the total.
- Departure
- New Farm Powerhouse or Manly Boat Harbour (25 to 30 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD). Scarborough Harbour by arrangement.
- Destinations
- Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Wrecks, or Amity and North Stradbroke, chosen for the conditions on the day
- Price
- Per boat, never per seat: $1,390 for two guests, $1,890 for up to four guests, $2,400 for up to seven guests. Monday to Thursday: $1,290, $1,690, $2,200.
- Included
- Captain Jeremy, fuel, French style catering, complimentary champagne, snorkelling gear, towels
- Boat
- 2017 Axopar 24 HT, owner-operated by Captain Jeremy, owner and marine scientist
- Weather policy
- If Jeremy cancels before departure for weather or safety, you choose an agreed alternative date or a full refund
- Snorkelling
- 15 scuttled wrecks in protected water off Moreton Island; gear, flotation aids and a marine scientist guide included; timed to the tide
The wrecks are waiting.
$1,390 per boat for two guests. $1,290 Monday to Thursday. The whole boat is yours, with gear, gourmet lunch and champagne included.