Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in New South Wales

The most popular dive site at Montague Island. Accessible all year round as it is well protected from prevailing wind and sea conditions. Interact with the friendly seals as they twist and turn to the delight of divers of all skill levels. Don't dive here without a camera. Kelp beds cover large rocky areas with a full range of fish species available. Access via private boat or Local Charter Boats

Short walk down some stairs from the car park. Roughly 10 meters of rocky beach to the water. Sandy bottom once in a few meters

Great wall dive. Soft corals on the wall and nice coral garden. East of the Big Rock

White sand and a natural reef of boulders and rocks. Sea dragons, dusky whalers, small rays... but not much fixed life. Parking available in Council car park at end of Bower St - parking $4+ or free if you park on the residential streets further away. Short walk down to sandy beach - park benches and open space available near entry.

This dive has spectacular growth on the rock, and is one of our best dive sites. Every time you go there, you will see something different. Pelagic fish are a certainty, along with the usual nudibanchs, and other marine life. If dived correctly you should get a good bottom time.

Lat: S 35.48536 Long: E 150.33902 The gantry at Bawley Point is a popular fishing and diving spot easily accessible by car. Many dive stores do their training there. It is also a historical site with remains of an old lumber shipping facility.

Enter water at end of path, swim out a few meters and find chain, follow the chain to the wall. Walk down path from the car park, enter at end of path

An alternative to Halifax Park. 50 metres from the Nelson Bay Fisherman's Co-Op Sewage Pipe is also known as Pipeline.

This dive site is a man made wall which was created when they made Botany Bay the new port for container ships. The wall is made up of many large concrete blocks of diff shapes which are randomly placed along the waters edge, these blocks create a wall of many many crevices and big cave like holes with a lot of spots where you can actually enter into one hole and exit out of another. Its a really interesting shallow dive and something a little bit different to what we all usually dive. A lot of fish life live amongst these big blocks and its not unusual to see very large species of fish. Put your boat in at Foreshore Road Boat Ramp, located on Foreshore rd, Port Botany. Its a big boat ramp area with plenty of parking. Its only a short 5min boat ride, you will head out with a aeroplane run way on your right and you will see the big container ships getting loaded up on your left. Once you get past the container ships head towards your left and go around the point at Molineaux Point Lookout. You can anchor up anywhere along the big concrete block wall, we usually throw the anchor out about 20m before the wall ends. I haven't dived this site from shore but if doing a shore dive caution needs to be taken when climbing down the concrete blocks to get to the water.

Easy Drift around the island, plenty of grey nurse, turtles as well as the small stuff

Easy shore dive, fantastic macro dive, soft corals, and lots of life, great night dive with easy access to pub once finished. access from shore, swim out to stingray rock, about 75 metres from shore, around to the seaward side and then swim 5 degrees to the left of north until reaching 10 metres depth about 2 minutes.

You should find many divers here on weekends. seek out their knowledge prior to diving. Drive into the Botany Bay National Park and take the turn into the Visitor's car park (0.8 Km from park entrance). Pass the visitor's Centre and follow the road round (200meters) to the final car park on the left before you rejoin the main road. Turn into this car park. Covered picnic areas are easily visible from the road along with large grassed areas (hectares in size) so you'll know that you are in the right area. You access the dives site by walking towards the waters edge to the north. This is easiest done by following the natural boundary of the grassed areas and the National park's great bush area to the east towards the shoreline. You will soon see the trail in the above photo leading to the shoreline and yes there are some steps here to facilitate access to the water. However, these are very old and I would not use them to get down the small cliff (1meter high). You can find alternative access nearby. The shoreline is exposed on days with big surf so be careful picking days when you dive here. Also, check the tides as the tidal currents are strong. Aim at diving at high tide. You should see hundreds of Sea dragons at this site, mainly near to the kelp and sand areas. They can be difficult to see and it is best if you slow the dive right down and wait for them to move about. Good dive.

Camp Cove is a very accessible dive. During hight tide the visablity is great. During Change of tides the slit bottom causes the vis to drop. Southern shore of Sydney Harbour.

Off Little Island

A very popular dive site. Dive at slack tide! North-east of the main marina.

Nice sponge garden. 3 kilometres south of Port Stephens at Point Stephens Lighthouse. Dive the north side to th small rock.

North of Cabbage Tree Island

This is probably the best shore dive of the NSW. During summer, the dive site is very crowded. The marine life is incredible here. The best is probably the huge amount of sea slugs! A must for macro-photographers. West side of Halifax Park at Nelson Bay; at the end of Nelson Head.

SS Catterthun sunk 8 August 1895. This 92 meters longe wreck lies upright and fairly intact. There is huge engine just up four or five metres. off Seal Rocks

Best dive of JB; but for advanced divers only. 1 nautical mile north of JB entrance, at "high cliffs".

One of the best deep dive. Take care of the current! 2 nautical miles north of JB entrance

rocky reef 4 nautical miles north from JB entrance. Drum and Drumsticks is also known as Near dives: Wanderer wreck, Echo Point Gutters, Drum Cave, The Gap.

grey nurse sharks Northern entrance to Jervis Bay

Nice 'cave'. Entrance is approx 16-18 m deep. Northern side of the bay, Next to The Docks.

A fantastic little spot if you have a boat or go with a dive company. On an incoming tide you can get up to 20m visability to see all the wonderful sealife here. Schooling fish can be seen here, nudibranchs apleny, and keep you eyes out for the giant cuttlefish! On a more recent excursion here we discovered some weedy sea-dragons, a wobbegong and a few octopus. Had lots of fun here with a camera. Nice relaxing dive and a great for newly certified divers. Access by boat only! This can be done by private charter or Prodive have a boat that runs out of Rose Bay and Manly.

The dive path goes towards the left. You may choose to dive over the shallow rocks covered with kelp, or a little further, where the rocks meet the sandy bottom. The area has numerous rock arrangements with small openings and overhangs. There is numerous rock fish life, making this a very popular spot among spearfishers. The site is on the northern side of Queenscliff Bay. There is a ticket parking area where you can gear up. There are also some free car spaces just outside the parking area. To reach the dive site, walk down the steps and circle the rock pool. The entry point is through a small canal on the seaside end of the rock pool. Note that this area is very exposed and the shallow reef may make it difficult to enter and exit.

Weedy sea dragons, giant cuttlefish, blue groper, eagle rays, octopus, moray eel, lion fish, Port Jackson shark, sea pen, numb ray, nudibranch, yellowtail, cat fish. The Steps is located in the Kurnell Botany Bay National Park. It costs $7.00 for a day-pass to enter the national park.

Western side of julain Rocks.

North-eastern corner of Julian rocks.

The Cray Cave is located on the exposed south-east end of Julian Rocks.

Park in Fairlight Crescent

In the middle of Manly bay.

Right under the Manly ferry route, so can only be dived outside of ferry running hours. TSS Currajong is also known as SS Currajong.

Park at the end of Ramsgate avenue, NE of Bondi.

The Arch dive starts at The Arch - a large natural rock arch big enough for 5 divers to swim through together. It lies at the eastern end of a long low bommie; the dive then follows a circuit passed a more vertical bommie with steep walls covered in growth and a good spot for nudibranchs. Divers continue to meet up with parts of Moon Island's southern wall and a series of caves - the first being the In/Out Cave - go in one side of a rock collapse and out the other, the next cave is hidden behind some large boulders (the Secret Cave). Divers then cross an area of kelp (look out for weedy seadragons) before reaching #3 Cave - the second biggest cave around Moon Island. After leaving #3 the Moon Island wall drops to just a rock platform; swim over this and find the fissure - drop into that and pass through the Squeezy (a narrow swim-through). The dive is completed swimming passed Dog's Head Rock and around the point at the end of this section of the rocky reef coming from Moon Island before crossing the pebbly gutter to return to The Arch and the boat. Boat dive access from Swansea Channel. Grey Nurse Charters run regular trips to Moon Island and The Arch is one of the most popular sites. The Arch Moon Island is also known as The Arch.

Kioloa, just south of Bawley Point.

Cuttlefish, occy's, nudibranches, squid etc. An easy and nice dive. Travel to Bawley Point; then try to find Tingira Drive. See the map for details.

Murramarang National Park; north of Batemans Bay.

Good alternative choice if the sea is too rough at Shelley Beach

This site is a bit of a labarynth with several small islands dotting the bay, the site is shallow in most parts. There is an huge old anchor in the gutters out amongst the furthest islands. Not sure if this is part of a scattered larger wreck or just a random peice. Small car park (free) at the top of a concrete access road within 50m of the sandy waters edge. This bay is protected and calm in all weather conditions.

Lots of macro life living on the nets, although very few sea horses left(if any - possibly poached for the aquarium industry? Some schools of bream frequent this area. Watch out for children jumping off the wharf on summer weekends. Free parking available in front of nets on The Esplanade. Enter the site from the sand between the wharf and the little cafe. Follow the nets around in an anticlockwise direction.

It is surprising that this site has not been listed sooner. The wreck lies upright and divers can penetrate safely as there are cutouts everywhere providing immediate escape. Divers need to watch their bottom time to ensure they don't go into deco (people have died diving this site). Terrigal Dive is a local operator that runs double boat dives This is the wreck of the Frigate EX HMAS Adelaide which was sunk to become an artificial reef and dive site 13 April 2011.

Manta Arch is the home of the endangered Grey Nurse Shark. Mostly seen in large nubers in Winter months. The feature of the site is a rock archway over the top of a gutter, and ideal location for the Sharks to hide from current and surge. Depth of mooring is 21 mtrs and gradually slopes away to 32 mtrs. Deep rocky gutters provide a ideal home for Anemone fish to Jawfish and nudibranchs, mixing with schools of southern fish as well as the Grey Nurse Shark Split solitary island Manta arch is also known as Coffs harbour, Split solitary island.

Only a few hundred metres off Royal National Park on the southern outskirts of the city of Sydney

The Arch is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Shellharbour which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

Forster

The shark net has a colony of seahorses. There are also soft corals and sponges. Watch out for fishing hooks and rods. Access from the beach. The most interesting wildlife is on the outside side of the shark net under the pier. Watch out for fishers from the pier, it's safest always to be under the pier. There is pay parking at the beach, and free parking nearby.

The Gravel Loader is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Shellharbour which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

This is a nice multi level dive with a sponge garden approximately 20 - 30 mters off shore

Latitude Reef is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Forster Tuncurry which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

Excellent dive with the occasional grey nurse, and with the greatest number of bright and colour fish i have ever seen outside of a tropical region.

Moray Eels, crustaceans and a variety of fish life. Entry either end of the wharf dependant on incoming or outgoing tides to run with the current. Dive time 40 minutes, dependant on tides and time spent exploring.

Entry at the southern car park at the boat ramp, head north from the ramp approx 30 metres across the sand to the bombies. Resident large common black ray can be seen cruising the bombies. Large kelp beds, gorgonian fans, variety of nudibranchs, crustaceans and a variety of fish life. Shore Dive

Kelp beds, gorgonian fans, crustaceans, sponges and a variety of fish life. Entry at the boat ramp, head left from the ramp or head out to sea and south around the point.

Kiama blowhole is also known as Afghan Reef.

Perfect dive site for for either day or night diving, in almost all weather! The western side (right-hand side as you enter the island) is the most sheltered part, and is diveable virtually at any time. Visibility can be very poor, it has good macro life, with seahorses. It can be crowded with scuba divers, particularly on weekends. The eastern-side is more exposed. You can circle the whole island if you have a large tank and/or you are good at air. There is a wall with lots of interesting sponges, nudibranches and other sea life about 100m to the south. You can dive from the shore if you are good at air, but it's best to dive from a boat. Attempt the dive at the south wall only at high tide, there are very strong tidal currents there. Bare Island is on the N side of Botany Bay. You can dive all around the island!

Cathie Wall is a rock wall that comes from a depth of 20 meters and tops is 8m. Coved in hard and soft corals of all types making it the best macro dive in the area. boat dive only

In front of Fingal Head.

Dive at slack high tide for a better visability. If there has been alot of rain the visability drops alot Tweed Heads. Tweed River is also known as The river.

The Church is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Shellharbour which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

The Titan was the largest working crane in southern Australia. When being transported up the coast she turned upside down and eventually sunk off Point Perpendicular. Now Lying on it's side upside down in 40m of water it is getting covered with soft sponges and corals. Large jewelfish, kingfish and giant cuttlefish are seen there. Access by Boat only.

Set off two bonniey side by side, comming out off 42m up to 30. With vertical sides lots off narrow gutters to atract all type off fish life. Top off rocks coved in corals and fish life. Boat dive

Hyams Beach is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Jervis Bay which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

Cowrie Island is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Shellharbour which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

The Loader is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Shellharbour which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

Tassie Two Wreck is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Australia, NSW, Byron Bay which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

The SS duckenfield was a steam-powered cargo ship used to transport coal. It sank in 1889 with a cargo of coal, coke and copper. The copper cargo was salvaged. The current remains are the boiler, the engine, and some pieces scattered on sandy ocean floor.

Mermaid Reef is an area of reef with neuromas pinnacles, gutters and bommies. Sites ranges from 12m - 30m and attracts grey nurse, whaler sharks. With a bottom of Large Gorgonian fans, sea spiders it attacks large school of bait fish, sting rays, morays ells. Boat dive only

OLD Faithful is a rock wall that comes from a depth of 25 meters and tops is 10m With a large cave in the base of the pinnacle around it. It often home to schools of jewfish, pelagic fish, bait fish and even the rear eastern blue devil. Old Faithful also boasts a large sponge garden that is equally one of the best sponge gardens you will dive anywhere abound with nudibranchs and large starfish. Boat dive only

The SS Tuggerah was a coastal steamer that carried coal to Sydney. It sunk saturday 16 May 1919, with the loss of 6 lives. SS Tuggerah lyes on its port side, the bow of the wreck is destroyed. The ship mast is lying off to the left hand side of the wreck, quite distinctive. The bow is full of nannygai and other small fish. The wreck normally has outstanding fish life on it, as well as intersting setions of the wreck remaining, including tools rusted solidly into the hull in what remains of the engine room, the boiler and engine and propeller. One needs good GPS marks, plus visual marks to find the wreck. With these it is pretty easy. Conditions on the wreck very greatly. Current can be in excess of 3 kts: strong enough to be dangerous. Visibility can vary from zero to 30m+ on some days. The site is exposed to the Tasman Sea, and is a 3km swim to safety. As the depth is past normal recreational limits, this is not a site for inexperienced divers, or those who cannot cope with mandatory decompression stops. A half hour dive can result in at least 35 minutes of deco. The wreck lies two kilometres off the coast of Royal National Park on Sydney's south.

This is a very famous dive of Sydney South. The name comes from the shape of a rock. Ship Rock can only (except for Kamikazes) be dived for the 1 hour around the peak of high tide (Best is 30 min before, and 30 min after). This dive has usually got poor vis, and is crowded on weekends. Only ever attempt to dive at slack water as there is a strong tidal current. Also, NEVER surface unneccessarily - the boats travel right over the dive site. On the up-side, the marine life here is spectacular, and in summer you even see some small tropical species like lion-fish and heaps of nudibranchs. A great dive for the macro photographer! Also, at about 12m there is a small cave in the wall. You can surface under the ledge in the pocket of trapped air. If you are going to do this and remove your regulator to talk to someone else, then you should release a substantial amount of air from you occy as the air in the cave may be stale and or depleted due to the biota that exists in the cave. Ascend with slight positive bouncy so that constant finning to stay up does not stir up the bottom beneath you and ruin the dive for everyone else. On the return swim to the entry, exit point you should seek the shallower route along the top of the wall and look for the ornate crabs hiding in the walls intricate growth. These are best seen moving about on night dives. Enjoy! Shiprock dive site is located at the junction of Burraneer Bay and Port Hacking, on Sydney's southern outskirts, on the Cronulla Peninsula. Drive to Ship Rock road, and park at the end. Shiprock is also known as Ship Rock.

Great easy dive. Good for learning and night dives though this is only during daylight saving period. Dive south from Sydney to the Royal National Park. Follow the signs in the national park to the Wottamolla Road Turn off. Follow to end of road and park in car-park. Gear up here and walk down the hill to the east as though accessing the lagoon. As you approach the lagoon seek a trail to the right of the lagoon that heads east and up the hill. follow this 500meters keeping as low as possible on the trail (a fork in the trail will have you going up and miss the beach completely). the trail meets the beach and you can access the site here. You can dive either side of the bay though the south side is best in unsettled weather. You can dive outside the headland if you wish. Unfortunately, NSW National Parks and Wildlife service have stopped people entering the area at night. So a wonderful night dive here can only happen with some creative logistics. You will need to take two cars tot he site, one with an overnight camping permit form the NPAWS. You will drive both cars to the gates when they are closed, parking one car outside the gates. then travel with all your dive gear to the site car park. go do the dive as described above. Upon returning to your car drive back to your first car and change, then go home in the first car, leaving the second car inside the gates till the morning. Pick up the other car the next day. Wottamolla is also known as None.

Easy shore dive in the Eastern Suburbs. Has nice bolders, some swim throughs, and fauna depending on the season. Can be dirty due to storm-water drain. Best dived in calm weather and not after rain or storms. Easy access from the shore.

NB. This is a shore dive for those extremely comfortable with their ability to self rescue or long surface swim. There is only one way in and one way out. If it turns to crap here while you are down you have to be able to look after yourself and may need to surface swim and good couple of kilometres home to either 'VooDoo' or 'The Steps' dive sites further round the point. generally speaking, this dive site can only be dived during August when the westerlies are blowing! This is necessary to keep the swells down. Do not attempt an entry when white water can be seen. NB: THE RESCUE SERVICES TAKE A WHILE TO GET TO THIS POINT !!! This IS MY favourite dive site !!! Follow Captain Cook Drive all the way out to Kurnell township. Find the entrance to the Botany Bay National Park (follow signs or ask). $8 gets you in. Follow the road all the way to the end of the road, past the whale watching site. Park in the spaces provided. Look south along the coast line to the furthest eastern point you can see, that's your dive site (but not your entry point). If you can see 'swell' producing significant white water along the cliff, then you are unlikely to be able to get in, unless you are very good and highly experienced in shore diving techniques. You CAN do it as a shore dive, ADVANCED, 300+, Divers Only! It requires a walk of 800m with all your dive gear on!, so it's not for the faint hearted, but well worth it. Follow the green posts indicating the cliff walk-for first timers, it can be advantageous to do this once without your gear- to the cutting in the cliff face (where the pipeline is) and walk down to the shoreline. A number of ledges here on the right hand side, southern, of the cliff face are your entry points and provide good deep water to flop into. I would not suggest entering at the waters edge at its most westerly maximum as there are triangular plinths in shallow water, less than 1m, that expose you to small waves while donning and doffing your fins and make entering and exiting here difficult to say the least. Access the dive site by following the pipeline east on the south side of the cutting and then to the waters edge. Here exist some natural rock platforms which make good entry and EXIT points. Submerge some meters off shore and follow the shoreline out to the south, see photo, following the natural shelf lines and kelp beds to the east and head south around corner. You should find a large wall drop off. Head south following the wall. Turn and head back the same way upon deciding to return home. They have recently put the DESAL pipeline in around here. Once I have had a chance to dive it again I shall update the info letting you know where it is situated and whether it causes any concerns to diving and if it-the by product-Brine, has ruined the site for diving. Ok I have since dive the site twice after the installation of the Desal plant. Rock fall from blasting or drilling has damaged much of the natural walls look and attraction, however it still constitutes a great dive. these rocks can be distinguished from the old rocks by their sharp edges and lack of marine growth and obvious yellow colour. I have 'rec-eed' al the way to the 'spoon drain' type feature some 150meters south of the headland and can still not find the pipe for the Desal plant. So it is either underground or further south. Underground would make sense as it would provide it some protection from the large swells that frequent this location year round. The shutting down of the Caltex Oil Refinery, some years ago, has stopped the flow of warm water to the site and hence the large patches of green seaweed that used to cover the rocks near the entry have since gone. Oldly, there seems to be more fish frequenting the site now. I don't put this down to the Desal plant's operation, or the likely hood of the 'brine' affecting the water quality because the site has never operated officially. It is a big 'white elephant that contractually cost the taxpayers money to keep operational, but has never had to operate to give Sydney home-dwellers water since it opened !!! The Pipe is installed on the ocean bed some 200 meters offshore in 22 meters of water, roughly inline with the headland. It is a shame about all the rock fall as the site was very pretty without it. But it still is a great dive on a good day ! I still rate it as the best shore dive in all of Sydney. Enjoy! The Cutting (Tabbagai Gap) is also known as Farkernell !!(UBD), Cape Solander.

Good dive for training boat divers and advanced divers. Two kilometres off the end of the end of The "Kingsway" this site is easily picked up on a depth sounder by lining up on The "Kingsway" road that leads into Cronulla and heading east north east approximately two kilometres offshore. It's a fairly large underwater bommie that rises up off 22-24m depth (depending on tide) to the top of the bommie at 16-18m. It can be dived on three sides. The inner western side has a small cave (non-penetration type). See also: Tom Byron's "Dives On The NSW East Coast". Commercial dive boats tend to anchor on the North/western tip of reef to give quick and easy access for divers to the cave, however, the reef on the eastern side is very good and often cleaner vis wise. In days long gone by now, dive agencies used to use 'Osbourne' as the 16m 'boat dive' for new students doing their boat dive component. So it's a fairly easy and good dive for most divers with little experience.

Dive site access is by boat only as it is located in the middle of Sydney harbour opposite the Gap entrance.

Collier built 1928; sank October 1929 (6 crew loss). Off Dover Heights

Scuttled 19 August 1980. Long Reef Wreck Site

Northern headland of Long Bay

If you can see the dive marker on the map, this is typically where the boat owner will drop the pick. We used to dive her to see the huge logger head turtle that sleeps in the small cave to the east of the bommie under the marker. But if you swim over to the shoreline and look about the edges there you will see some inlets in towards the beach area. This is a great area to frolic about with a tank on, because you get huge numbers of Nanygai, Yellowtail, Bullseye, etc. all through here and it is just a great relaxing second dive after having done the 'Latitude Rock' a klm to the east.

Last dived the site in 1988, and haven't been there since but my dive log says it was a good dive. The reef as can be seen is quite big and can be dived on both sides, or from the North and southern tips of the reef. You will need to engage a local dive shop to organise a boat dive in the area.

Average site, but a good alternative when you are tired of other sites. Be aware of surge from a southerly swell, it can be a problem if the seas are up. Enter the dive site at the end of Ocean Park rd, south end. Cross the beach and dive the headland and dive to the southeast. Simple.