Lodestone Reef
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
Lodestone sits in the same mid-shelf cluster as John Brewer and shares its easy temperament: shallow coral gardens, sand-floored corridors between bommies, and enough swim-through nooks to keep a second or third dive interesting. Townsville boats rotate through it for certification dives and relaxed reef days, which tells you the character, forgiving depths, gentle water, and reliable turtles and anemonefish rather than adrenaline. As a warm-up or wind-down around a Yongala trip it does exactly what is asked of it.
The moment you come for: Relaxed gardens near Townsville, bommie corridors, dependable turtles and anemonefish
Topography: Mid-shelf reef with shallow coral gardens, sand patches, and scattered bommies
Know before you splash
Hazards: Standard reef-day cautions; watch boat traffic near moorings.
Who you'll meet
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★☆☆ · Macro: ★★★☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting