Mermaid Reef - Rowley Shoals
Mermaid Reef, part of the remote Rowley Shoals, gives you a real feel for the wild Indian Ocean. It’s an exposed but rewarding spot, where the currents often bring in some impressive pelagics. We've seen grey reef sharks patrolling the drop-offs and schools of bumphead parrotfish cruising the reef flats. The coral here is robust, built to withstand the ocean's surge, and the sheer scale of the reef system is what really strikes you. It’s a good choice for divers comfortable with a bit of current, looking for that genuine wilderness experience rather than a sheltered lagoon.
- Location
- Rowley Shoals, Australia, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -17.100000, 119.600000
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Mermaid Reef
Nearby Dive Sites in Rowley Shoals
- Clerke Reef (reef)
- Cod Hole (reef)
- Imperieuse Reef (reef)
- Imperieuse Reef (reef)
- Lively Shipwreck (wreck)
- Rowley Shoals (reef)
- V in the Wall (wall)
Marine Life in Rowley Shoals
Home to 380 recorded species including 257 reef fish, 77 hard corals, 13 sharks & rays, 11 sea cucumbers, 8 other, 3 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Gray Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) - Sharks & Rays
- Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) - Sharks & Rays
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) - Sharks & Rays
- Silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Rainbowfish (Halichoeres hortulanus) - Reef Fish
- Viperfish (Chauliodus sloani) - Reef Fish
- Checkered Seaperch (Lutjanus decussatus) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- royal red prawn (Haliporoides sibogae) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Scribbled Angelfish (Centropyge eibli) - Reef Fish
- Six-line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) - Reef Fish
- Largemouth Triplefin (Ucla xenogrammus) - Reef Fish
- Blackside Hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) - Reef Fish
- Three-spot wrasse (Halichoeres trimaculatus) - Reef Fish
- Dot and dash Butterflyfish (Chaetodon punctatofasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Bridle Triggerfish (Sufflamen fraenatum) - Reef Fish
- Leopard Hind (Cephalopholis leopardus) - Reef Fish