Like the majority of the dive sites at Heron Island, Hole in the Wall is located on the eastern side of the reef. It is east-north-east of the northern tip of the island.

A map of the dive sites of the northern side of Heron Island Click to enlarge Note this map was drawn in 1990 by Clarrie Lawler - used with his permission

The actual Hole in the Wall that gives its name to the dive site is not at the mooring location (well, at least it was not in 1989) but a bit to the north-west. The mooring is located on one of a twin pair of coral bommies located about 20 metres off the main reef.

A very rough map I drew of Hole in the Wall in 1989 Note depths are in feet

Once you descend, drop to the bottom of the twin bommies and circle around them. There can be some interesting life in the small canyon or crack that separates the two bommies. From here head south-west to the wall. You will see that there is a small bay to the south of you as you approach the wall. This can be explored towards the end of the dive. You may also notice a swim-through that goes from outside the main wall to the bay. Again, leave this for later.

Turn right once you hit the wall and follow the fringing reef wall. This runs in a roughly south-east to north-west direction. The depth at the bottom of the wall is about 10 metres (I think my map does not show what it was). The wall is relatively straight till you come to an inlet. Just past here you will notice that the reef comes to an apparent dead end and there is a small bommie in the bay.

The reef wall actually doubles back on itself in a U fashion. However, you do not need to backtrack as there is another way out. This is via the Hole in the Wall. In fact, there are two Holes in the Wall. As you start to do your U turn and follow the wall back in the same direction you have just come, you will see a swim-though on your left. You can easily swim through this and exit on the open ocean side of the reef.

I would only go about 20 metres past here before turning around. Come back past the tunnel that you came through a few minutes ago and you will see another one just before the corner. Swim through the tunnel and you will be back in the dead end. Swim to your left and follow the wall back to the south-east to the starting point.

Once back near the twin bommies and the corner of the bay where you first reached the wall, look for the swim-though I previously mentioned. This will take you into the bay. Spend the rest of your time in the bay and back at the twin bommies.

This was one of the best dive sites I did at Heron Island. On one dive I saw 10 turtles, a white-tipped reef shark, a black whaler shark as well as Queensland groper and potato cod. In the swim-throughs I saw abalone and crayfish. Other things I saw included Moorish idol, yellowtail kingfish, sweetlips, flutemouth, fusilier, parrotfish and unicornfish.

Note this article was written in 2008 so my memory may be a bit out with some aspects of the dive site and things may have changed in the almost 20 years since I last dived there.