Approximately 2.5 kilometres offshore from Philip Park at The Spit, at a depth of 30 metres AHD, Wonder Reef will open to diving in autumn.
Wonder Reef has been purposely designed to attract and sustain a rich diversity of marine life and offer an iconic and exciting dive experience for divers of all levels. Months after the installation, monitoring and testing were conducted to meet approvals and ensure safety, and also importantly, to allow marine life to establish before the opening.
Designed by reef experts Subcon Blue Solutions and renowned Queensland artist Daniel Templeman, Wonder Reef aims to achieve best practice with an innovative fusion of art, science and engineering design. Eighteen months of complex technical analysis and design with expert input from around the world ensures the reef can withstand the harsh marine environment including 18-plus metre waves. Nine buoyant sculptural reef flutes stand about 22 metres above the sea floor, tethered to the seabed by 9 reef foundations. Buoyant sculptural reef flutes are submerged approximately 7 metres below the surface, accessible to all levels of divers. The reef foundations are 4×4 metres in size and weigh about 72 tonnes each, accessible by advanced open water divers.
With swim-throughs and landing platforms for divers and four moorings to facilitate diver access, the reef delivers a dive experience for a range of diver certification levels. However, site access for any purpose without a permit from City of Gold Coast or through a dive tour operator who has a commercial operator activity agreement to operate dive tours on the Wonder Reef is strictly prohibited. Wonder Reef is purposely designed to provide habitat for a diverse range of marine life. By attracting and sustaining a rich diversity of marine life, the reef offers an interesting and exciting dive experience. The experiences offered aim to foster greater appreciation of marine life and the natural environment, and provide marine research and educational opportunities.
The City of Gold Coast is delivering the project with $2.5 million in matched funding under the Queensland Government’s Growing Tourism Infrastructure Fund. The project aims to provide significant economic benefit, generate jobs, and build the capacity of operators and businesses within the local tourism industry. In its first 10 years of operation, it is anticipated to inject $32.8 million into the region’s economy, generate over 166,000 new overnight visitors to the Gold Coast, and support over 80 full time jobs.
Don’t: No spearfishing or fishing. Do not enter the Wonder Reef precinct unless you have a permit to do so. Only moor on the mooring that has been assigned to you – do not anchor the vessel. Do not feed the marine life. Look but do not take anything from Wonder Reef but memories.
Do: Take your rubbish with you. Be respectful of other boats, divers and the flora and fauna at Wonder Reef. Have fun. Tell your friends and family about your fun experience on Wonder Reef
Published in print April-June 2022
