DIVE SITE
STEVE'S BOMMIE

There is little doubt that the Great Barrier Reef is simply one of the most beautiful sights in all the Pacific. Featuring some of the most spectacular dive sites, it generally takes multiple visits before a diver can investigate just the most popular ones. One of the most interesting locations is known as Steve’s Bommie, a dive site that has developed quite the reputations as being one of the better locations in the region.

A “bommie” is a derivative of an aboriginal term for a submerged pinnacle of which there are many in the region. How Steve’s Bommie got its name is rather unclear with many different stories. However, you will find a plaque with Steve’s name on it about 25 meters down on the bommie itself. There is an amazing amount of coral in the soft and hard varieties that make up this bommie. You’ll see plate coral as well as gorgonian fans as well.

Located just inside the entrance point of Ribbon Reef #2 and #3, Steve’s Bommie is certainly quite a sight, offering plenty of opportunities to see a wealth of marine life. The bommie itself is around 10 meters square on the top and roughly 27 square at the bottom and isolated from other pinnacles which makes this one really stand out. It takes about 20 minutes to swim around the base which provides plenty of opportunities to photograph the marine life in the area.
There is a wide diversity of marine life to be found at the bommie, starting with the goat fish, snappers, fusiliers and trevally which can be found in great numbers. There are also pipefish, nudibranchs, and wobbegongs that will lay motionless and using camouflage awaiting their prey. If you look in the cracks and crevices you’ll see a multitude of pipefish varieties including the banded messmate, Shultz’s and glittering versions.
There are so many different types of fish that you may not be able to keep track of all of them including nudis, white tip reef sharks and barracudas. If you go in-season, you may see minke whales as well.

Although an isolated bommie, the great visibility and generally calm currents make this dive suitable for all experience levels, even novices. However, as always it is recommended that you dive in groups and keep an eye on each other. The dive site itself is relatively small in the sense that it centers on the pinnacle, so keeping this rather large structure in sight will be very helpful on your dive.