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Where to scuba dive in NSW

Scuba Diving, Jervis BayCredit: Jordan Robins

Scuba diver exploring a dive site in Jervis Bay.

#lovensw #newsouthwales

Where to scuba dive in NSW

Scuba Diving, Jervis Bay Credit: Jordan Robins

Scuba diver exploring a dive site in Jervis Bay.

#lovensw #newsouthwales

Hashtags #lovensw #newsouthwales

New South Wales boasts a diverse array of impressive scuba diving spots along its spectacular coastline. From diving with green turtles in the warm subtropical waters of Tweed Heads on the North Coast to exploring the dazzling coral reefs surrounding Lord Howe Island, you’ll discover underwater ecosystems unlike anywhere else in Australia.  

Sydney  

Shelly Beach, Manly 

A beach dive perfect for beginners, Shelly Beach near Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches it is home to giant cuttlefish, wobbegongs and even seadragons, a relative of the seahorse.  

Gordons Bay Underwater Nature Trail, Clovelly

In Clovelly on the eastern beaches, the Gordons Bay Underwater Nature Trail is a 600m diving trail marked by a chain connected to concrete-filled drums. On the way you’ll find information signs — as well as friendly gropers. 

The Leap, Kurnell 

For experienced divers, The Leap in Kamay Botany Bay National Park at Kurnell in Sydney’s south is a thrilling shore dive that includes a 22m drop-off. You’ll find boulders and overhangs, large schools of fish, lots of seahorses and some magic swim throughs. 

Bare Island, La Perouse

Across Botany Bay, Bare Island is a popular shallow dive site for beginners; look out for seadragons, gropers and turtles.

North Coast

Looking Glass, Broughton Island

Broughton Island near Port Stephens has several spectacular dive sites. The popular Looking Glass is a narrow channel through the centre of the island that opens up into a natural fishbowl. Look for rays, blue groper, red morwong, bullseye and bream.  

Fly Point-Halifax Park Aquatic Reserve, Nelson Bay 

At Nelson Bay, also in the Port Stephens area, the main feature of the Fly Point-Halifax Park Aquatic Reserve is a 100m-long, sponge-covered ledge with schools of bream, nannygai and blue groper. 

Fish Rock Cave, South West Rocks

On the mid-North Coast, South West Rocks is home to a 125m-long cavern teeming with sea life, including placid grey nurse sharks, bull rays, nudibranchs, giant cuttlefish and more. 

Solitary Islands Marine Park, Coffs Harbour

Just over an hour’s drive north of South West Rocks, the Solitary Islands Marine Park in Coffs Harbour is home to a unique mix of more than 550 species of fish, 90 corals and 600 molluscs. 

Julian Rocks (Nguthungulli), Byron Bay

The marine park surrounding the rocky island off Byron Bay known as Julian Rocks (or Nguthungulli in the Bundjalung language) is regularly ranked among Australia’s top dive sites for its plethora of marine life, including grey nurse, wobbegong, and leopard sharks; eagle and manta rays, turtles, corals, and plenty of fish. During the winter months, whale song can often be heard underwater. 

Cook Island Aquatic Reserve, Tweed Heads

Less than an hour north of Byron, you can also dive with turtles, manta rays, shovelnose sharks and more at Cook Island Aquatic Reserve in Tweed Heads, the state’s northernmost diving destination.  

Weedy Seadragon, Kurnell Credit: Destination NSW

A scuba diver with a common seadragon (also known as the weedy seadragon) in coastal waters off Kurnell, south of Sydney.

#ilovesydney

Weedy Seadragon, Kurnell Credit: Destination NSW

A scuba diver with a common seadragon (also known as the weedy seadragon) in coastal waters off Kurnell, south of Sydney.

#ilovesydney

Gordons Bay, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Waves washing over the rocks at Gordons Bay, nestled between the suburbs of Coogee and Clovelly in Sydney's east.

#ilovesydney

Gordons Bay, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW

Waves washing over the rocks at Gordons Bay, nestled between the suburbs of Coogee and Clovelly in Sydney's east.

#ilovesydney

South Coast 

Bushrangers Bay, Shellharbour 

On New South Wales South Coast, Bushrangers Bay in Bass Point Reserve, at the southern end of Shellharbour, is an aquatic reserve great for beginner divers as well as snorkellers. Its temperate reefs are home to bright sponges, octopus, seadragons, and more.  

Jervis Bay Marine Park

Further south, Jervis Bay’s marine park offers more than 20 shore and boat dive sites. The area has an abundance of kelp beds, large boulders, small caves, drop-offs, shear coral walls, sponge gardens, ship and plane wrecks, and swim throughs. You can also dive with fur seals between May and October. 

Montague Island

In the Eurobodalla region, just off Narooma, Montague Island Nature Reserve is renowned for its Australian and New Zealand fur seal colonies. You may also see stingrays, bull rays, blue gropers and wobbegongs on a typical dive. Divers can expect water visibility of between 20–30m year-round, and it’s also a great place to see humpback whales making their migration north, then south again, during the winter months.  

Lord Howe Island 

Ball’s Pyramid

Less than a two-hour flight from Sydney, Lord Howe Island is one of Australia’s most superb diving locations. Arguably the most spectacular of its 100-odd dive sites is Ball’s Pyramid, a volcanic stack south of Lord Howe where advanced divers can go on drift and cave dives, and follow a coral wall. Expect to see massive schools of violet sweep, amberjack, kingfish, silver drummer, rainbow runners, trevally, and occasionally marlin, dolphins and wahoo. 

The Lagoon

The huge, shallow lagoon on the western side of the island is great for novice divers, as well as snorkellers and underwater photographers keen to see anemones, lionfish, slipper crayfish, the rare Coleman’s pygmy seahorse, spotted snake eel, and beaked leatherjacket. 

Montague Island, Narooma Credit: Destination NSW

Woman scuba diving with a seal at Montague Island, Narooma.

#lovensw #newsouthwales

Montague Island, Narooma Credit: Destination NSW

Woman scuba diving with a seal at Montague Island, Narooma.

#lovensw #newsouthwales

Scuba Diving, Lord Howe Island Credit: Jordan Robins

Scuba diver exploring the coral gardens surrounding Lord Howe Island.

#lovensw #newsouthwales

Scuba Diving, Lord Howe Island Credit: Jordan Robins

Scuba diver exploring the coral gardens surrounding Lord Howe Island.

#lovensw #newsouthwales

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