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Artificial reefs in Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast

GPS positions for the 8 artificial reefs in Moreton Bay Marine Park, from Queensland Government data, with what each reef allows and how boats usually get there. Download them as GPX or CSV.

Updated

Artificial reef: some activities are prohibited here without a permit under special activity notices (check the QPWS reef page). Positions are a guide only, not for navigation.

Artificial reef GPS positions

Each position is the centre of the reef's area as the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service maps it: the midpoint of the area's north–south and east–west extent. Reef modules are spread across the area, and each reef's QPWS map gives their positions. Coordinates are WGS84.

8 artificial reefs in Moreton Bay Marine Park: centre of each reef area
ReefCentre (decimal, DMS, DDM)ZoneSpearfishing and anchoringBoat access
East Coochie Artificial Reef-27.56903, 153.3514027°34′09″S 153°21′05″E27°34.142′S 153°21.084′EDark blue zone HPZ02No spearfishing; anchoring allowedBoat or kayak
Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef-27.40712, 153.3080227°24′26″S 153°18′29″E27°24.427′S 153°18.481′ELight blue zone GUZ02No spearfishing; anchoring allowedBoat or kayak
North Moreton Artificial Reef-26.98441, 153.3976826°59′04″S 153°23′52″E26°59.065′S 153°23.861′EDark blue zone HPZ02Spearfishing allowed (no scuba diving at this reef); anchoring allowedFrom Bongaree – Welsby Pde ramp, Sandstone Point – Kal Ma Kuta Dr ramp or Scarborough Boat Harbour walls
North Stradbroke Artificial Reef-27.40997, 153.5070327°24′36″S 153°30′25″E27°24.598′S 153°30.422′EDark blue zone HPZ12Spearfishing allowed; anchoring allowedFrom Dunwich – Yabby St ramp, across the South Passage Bar
South Stradbroke Artificial Reef-27.88157, 153.4557827°52′54″S 153°27′21″E27°52.894′S 153°27.347′EDark blue zone HPZ15Spearfishing allowed (no scuba diving at this reef); anchoring allowedFrom The Spit – Muriel Henchman Dr ramp or Southport – North St ramp (Broadwater), across the Gold Coast Seaway Bar; or from Jacobs Well ramp or Cabbage Tree Point ramp, across the Jumpinpin Bar
Turner Artificial Reef-27.19627, 153.1293327°11′47″S 153°07′46″E27°11.776′S 153°07.760′EDark blue zone HPZ06Spearfishing allowed; anchoring allowedBoat or kayak
West Peel Artificial Reef-27.50188, 153.3132227°30′07″S 153°18′48″E27°30.113′S 153°18.793′EDark blue zone HPZ02No spearfishing; anchoring allowedBoat or kayak
Wild Banks Artificial Reef-26.90871, 153.2926226°54′31″S 153°17′33″E26°54.523′S 153°17.557′EDark blue zone HPZ02Spearfishing to 12 m depth only (no scuba diving at this reef); no anchoringFrom Bongaree – Welsby Pde ramp, Sandstone Point – Kal Ma Kuta Dr ramp or Scarborough Boat Harbour walls

What each reef allows

  • East Coochie Artificial Reef: East Coochie Artificial Reef lies around Victoria Point, Redland Bay and the bay islands, in the Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ02 Moreton Island to Broadwater. Its QPWS area is about 0.6 km east to west and 0.6 km north to south. No spearfishing; anchoring allowed (QPWS map MA708). Artificial reef east of Coochiemudlo; snapper, sweetlip. Access: Boat only. Tide place: Macleay Island (Potts Point). Victoria Point & Redland Bay fishing spots · Open in the app
  • Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef: Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef lies in central Moreton Bay and on the west side of Moreton Island, in the General Use Zone (light blue) GUZ02 Moreton Bay-Offshore. Its QPWS area is about 0.9 km east to west and 0.8 km north to south. No spearfishing; anchoring allowed (QPWS map MA709). Central bay artificial reef; snapper, sweetlip, cobia, mackerel in season. Access: Boat only. Tide place: Rous Light. Tangalooma & central Moreton Bay fishing spots · Open in the app
  • North Moreton Artificial Reef: North Moreton Artificial Reef lies in central Moreton Bay and on the west side of Moreton Island, about 3.1 nm offshore, in the Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ02 Moreton Island to Broadwater. Its QPWS area is about 2.2 km east to west and 2.0 km north to south. Spearfishing allowed (no scuba diving at this reef); anchoring allowed (QPWS map MA710). Artificial reef north-west of Moreton Island; snapper, sweetlip, pelagics. Access: Boat only. Tide place: North West Channel Fairway South. Tangalooma & central Moreton Bay fishing spots · Open in the app
  • North Stradbroke Artificial Reef: North Stradbroke Artificial Reef lies on the ocean side of North Stradbroke and Moreton islands, about 0.7 nm offshore, in the Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ12 Flinders Beach. Its QPWS area is about 1.0 km east to west and 0.3 km north to south. Spearfishing allowed; anchoring allowed (QPWS map MA910). Artificial reef off Flinders Beach; snapper, sweetlip. Access: Boat only (via South Passage bar). Tide place: Moreton and Stradbroke ocean side. Straddie & Moreton ocean side fishing spots · Open in the app
  • South Stradbroke Artificial Reef: South Stradbroke Artificial Reef lies off the Gold Coast, about 1.5 nm offshore, in the Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ15 South Stradbroke Island (south). Its QPWS area is about 1.2 km east to west and 2.0 km north to south. Spearfishing allowed (no scuba diving at this reef); anchoring allowed (QPWS map MA711). Artificial reef off South Stradbroke Island north of the Seaway; snapper, sweetlip, pelagics. Access: Boat only, via the Seaway. Tide place: Gold Coast open coast. Gold Coast offshore fishing spots · Open in the app
  • Turner Artificial Reef: Turner Artificial Reef lies on the Redcliffe Peninsula and around Deception Bay, in the Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ06 Redcliffe. Its QPWS area is about 0.4 km east to west and 0.7 km north to south. Spearfishing allowed; anchoring allowed (QPWS map MA850). Six clusters of concrete modules in about 6 m of water, roughly 1.2 km east of Scarborough Point (boat only). Recreational line fishing and trolling allowed. Snapper, grass sweetlip and grunter. Open water: exposed to every wind. Tide place: Scarborough. Redcliffe Peninsula fishing spots · Open in the app
  • West Peel Artificial Reef: West Peel Artificial Reef lies around Cleveland, Peel Island and the west side of North Stradbroke Island, in the Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ02 Moreton Island to Broadwater. Its QPWS area is about 0.5 km east to west and 1.0 km north to south. No spearfishing; anchoring allowed (QPWS map MA712). Artificial reef west of Peel Island; snapper, sweetlip. Access: Boat only. Tide place: Cleveland Point. Cleveland, Peel Island & Straddie fishing spots · Open in the app
  • Wild Banks Artificial Reef: Wild Banks Artificial Reef lies in central Moreton Bay and on the west side of Moreton Island, about 7.9 nm offshore, in the Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ02 Moreton Island to Broadwater. Its QPWS area is about 2.1 km east to west and 1.9 km north to south. Spearfishing to 12 m depth only (no scuba diving at this reef); no anchoring (QPWS map MA713). Northern bay artificial reef; snapper, sweetlip, mackerel. Access: Boat only; north of Bribie. Tide place: North West Channel Fairway South. Tangalooma & central Moreton Bay fishing spots · Open in the app

Recreational line fishing is allowed on all of them. Scuba diving is prohibited at every reef here except Turner and North Stradbroke, so where another reef allows spearfishing it is without scuba. Check the method rules before you dive: the special activity notices for each reef are on the QPWS artificial reef page. Zone rules: official zoning maps and app.

Before you go

Some of these trips go to sea, crossing the South Passage Bar, the Gold Coast Seaway Bar or the Jumpinpin Bar. MSQ: only experienced skippers with local knowledge should cross. Lifejackets must be worn crossing a designated bar in an open boat, or in an open area of any boat (the law since 1 Dec 2024, enforced from 1 Jul 2025; MSQ, checked 9 Oct 2026). Positions are a guide only, not for navigation: use your chart and plotter.

Sources and checked dates