Cherubs Cave and Henderson Rock Full-Day Three-Dive Trip from Mooloolaba

Cherubs Cave is a dramatic underwater cave system located about 4.1 kilometres off the eastern side of Moreton Island, near Henderson Rock, and reached from Scuba World in Mooloolaba. This full-day, three-dive itinerary pairs two dives through Cherubs Cave with a third at Henderson Rock, delivering a mix of cavern passage, bommie walls and open-water marine life that defines Southeast Queensland diving.

The cave itself sits under a large circular bommie and has four entrances often cloaked in thick kelp. Light filters in through the openings, creating channels of visibility that help divers orient themselves in passages with a maximum roof height of roughly two metres; depths across the site range from about 14 to 30 metres. For photographers and macro specialists the site pays off: anemones, clownfish and a lively assemblage of small critters pepper every crevice, while larger residents such as cod, grouper and an abundance of Grey Nurse Sharks add headline encounters.

Logistics are straightforward: meet at Scuba World, Mooloolaba at 7:00 a.m. for a roughly 9.5-hour day—boats return near 4:30 p.m. Trips run regularly from June through December. This offering is a charter-only day; the operator notes that maximum dive time is typically 45 minutes unless you’re on an extended range plan at Cherubs. EAN (Nitrox) certification is mandatory for all three dives, and divers must hold Advanced/Deep credentials to operate within the site’s depth profile. Torches are required for the cave swims; hiring Nitrox tanks and full mandatory kit is available as paid extras.

What makes this trip special is the combination of a concealed kelp-slit cavern and a nearby rocky reef that supports both macro and large-pelagic life—an uncommon pairing close to shore. Scuba World’s regular schedule and local routing mean repeat visitors can focus on the dive rather than transit details, and the site's reliable Grey Nurse sightings make it a sought-after seasonal draw.

Plan for variable sea states and bring a dive computer, spare torch batteries and a surface marker buoy. Respect the depth limits tied to your certification, and allow the guides to navigate the cave entrances; those kelp curtains conceal the passages until you’re on top of them. For people who chase sharks, cave light play and close-range macro shots, this three-dive day is a concentrated, high-value experience on Queensland’s offshore edge.

Check-in is critical: the time on your confirmation or SMS is when you must be at Scuba World, not the boat departure time. Hiring three Nitrox 32% tanks and weights is listed at 489, or you can hire all mandatory equipment including three Nitrox tanks for 544. Divers with the appropriate decompression training may conduct decompression dives; otherwise plan dives within your logged depths and no-decompression limits. Enjoy.