Jayne Jenkins extols the underwater – and topside – virtues of Nelson Bay
Photographs by Jayne Jenkins
One of my favourite places to head off to for a weekend of great diving is Nelson Bay. An easy drive about 220km north of Sydney, the pretty town is a popular holiday destination offering many types of water activities, such as dolphin and whale watching and surfing and, of course, the diving is fantastic. A place you could take the family while you dive as there is so much on offer, and plenty of different standards of accommodation.
Did you know?
No one is sure whether the town was named after Admiral Nelson or a vessel named Lady Nelson. The name may have come from the Lady Nelson that was used by Governor Lachlan Macquarie when he visited Port Stephens in 1812, or it may simply have been named after Admiral Horatio Nelson, the hero who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Nelson Bay (part of Port Stephens) is probably one of the mostpopular shore-diving spots on the NSW coast as the accessibility is easy, with three or four great macro sites to choose from.
Not just the shore diving is great, but there are two good boat operators that go out to Broughton Island and North Rock, and this is where you can experience the larger marine life and spectacular diving with grey nurse sharks.
The area can be dived all year around and the water temperatures range from about 17 degrees C-23 degrees C. Most areas with a great variety of marine life generally have good tidal movement and Nelson Bay is no exception.
If you plan your trip well, you can get two shore dives a day in and a boat dive. The shore dives are done on the slack of the incoming tides bringing clean water and plenty of nutrients.
To get the best experience and dive opportunities out of a trip there, it is wise to study the tide charts first. The dive stores will help you and advise you the best times, but as a guide use Sydney Fort Denison tide chart time.
If it is your first time in the area, although the sites are easy to enter and exit, it is best to have a local show you the best the sites can offer.
It has been recorded that there are over 400 species of fish life and over 200 species of nudibranchs, plus all the octopus, cuttlefish, rays and beautiful sponge gardens, and seahorses.
Nelson Bay is also famous for Dawn, a Whites seahorse who was believed to be the longest recorded living seahorse before she died aged eight.
I was lucky enough to meet Dawn on a dive with Dr Dave Harasti, who has a dived Nelson Bay for many years and has a PhD on the biology, ecology and conservation of White’s seahorses and recorded Dawn over her lifespan.
For those of you that like the larger marine life, Broughton Island and North Rock are a must visit. The island is about 14km North East of Port Stephens and part of the Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Park, and North Rock a smaller rock just to the North of Broughton Island.
These are just two of the sites there that offer exciting diving. Some of my favourite sites at Nelson Bay for shore diving are Fly Point, and Little Beach and for night diving The Pipeline.
Fly Point
Fly Point offers great parking (but do get there early for your dive) and easy access into the water via some steps with a handrail, so no rock hopping.
Once in the water the navigation is easy even if it’s your first dive there. Basically, swim out for a short distance and turn left – on the way look in the kelp as there are the largest sea hares I have seen, mating cuttlefish and more than once a turtle.
There is a wall in about 6m and for an easy dive follow the ledge. Here you will find plenty of nudibranchs, scorpionfish sitting in cup sponges, moray eels and pipefish and sometimes the eastern frogfish.
If you are more adventurous there are more ledges and magnificent sponge gardens slightly deeper where the larger fish life tends to be cruising. Blue groper, wobbegong sharks under the ledges, blind sharks but still morays and all the other small species.
This dive must one of the prettiest shore dives on the east coast and the hardest part about diving this area for photographers is what lens to use on the camera – macro or wider for all the beautiful sponges and corals. Watch the time as you are limited with time due to tides changing.
Little Beach
Little Beach is another of my favourite dives situated between Halifax Park and Fly Point. Great parking and easy access with a short walk to the smaller beach and descend near the jetty.
Little Beach can be dived in most weather conditions but again on the slack of the incoming tide.
Swim down the slope from the jetty in a northerly direction until you reach about 10m, here, there are some old wooden from the remains of a Naval Patrol Boat jetty from World War Two. Make sure you take time to look around these for smaller topicals in the summer months.
Around here, turn left and follow the contours and look on the fans as this is where you will find the beautiful cowries and often seahorses. Not far from there in about 12m is an upturned old barge that was sunk there about 30 years ago.
The barge is home to numerous scorpionfish, moray eels, wrasse, morwongs and surgeonfish, but the highlight is the little family of pineapple fish living under the stern.
This is a great dive for photographers as so many subjects. When heading back make sure you have enough air to have time under the jetty as here are the biggest flathead I have ever seen and wobbegong shark plus so many nudibranchs.
The Pipeline
My favourite night dive in Nelson Bay is The Pipeline. This site is to the west of the Nelson Bay Marina, just follow the road to the car park at the end and the entry point is over the rocks but there is a path cleared. The site is an old disused sewer pipe which goes out into the bay.
Once in about 8m of water, head west over the seagrasses and sponges to the pipeline then in roughly in about 10m there is a huge area of soft corals and sponges.
You can spend hours here as this site is home to blue ring octopus, seahorses, pipefish, nudibranchs and gobble guts and if you are lucky, with eggs. It is an easy dive and if you get lost, just pop your head up to see where the lights are to exit near the path.
Boat diving
The boat dives in Nelson Bay are well worth it so if you can time your stay to include a trip to Broughton Island you will not be disappointed.
There are two very good operators who run trips, so check their schedules before you leave on your trip as they get busy, especially in the summer months.
Broughton Island
The most-famous, most-popular and my favourite dive site here is The Looking Glass, about a one-hour scenic trip from Nelson Bay Marina. Called the Looking Glass because at the top of the rock cliff, the rock formations to the left of the channel form a natural hole, like a looking glass.
The boats anchor close by, so a short surface swim is generally easy and you can descend directly to the entrance of the channel.
Looking Glass
Following the rocks into the channel, keep an eye out for wobbegongs and Port Jackson sharks plus the grey nurse sharks. There is sometimes a slight swell but keep swimming until you come to the opening, and this is where you will find all the fish life happening.
The masses of schooling fish can sometimes surround the grey nurse sharks and make for great photographic opportunities. This can be one of the best dives on the east coast and the boats will stay there for two dives.
North Rock
Although called North Rock this area is more like a gutter. In good visibility you can see the entry where the wall begins from the surface.
Just beyond the entry there is a sloping kelp bed and a good chance you will find large cuttlefish as this is where they hangout.
There are also lots of schooling fish in this area and generally plenty of lovely sunlight. Look out for wobbegong sharks when swimming around and the grey sharks seem to cruise slowly around the site. An easy site to navigate and a great dive site.
FAQ: Diving Nelson Bay, Australia
Q: Where is Nelson Bay located?
A: Nelson Bay is part of Port Stephens, about 220km north of Sydney, Australia. It’s a popular holiday destination with diving, whale watching, dolphin tours, and family-friendly activities.
Q: Why is Nelson Bay famous for diving?
A: Nelson Bay is one of the most popular shore-diving locations in New South Wales. It offers excellent macro diving with nudibranchs, seahorses, and octopus, as well as boat dives to Broughton Island and North Rock for encounters with grey nurse sharks and schooling fish.
Q: What marine life can be found in Nelson Bay?
A: More than 400 species of fish and over 200 species of nudibranchs have been recorded here. Divers often spot seahorses, cuttlefish, octopus, rays, wobbegong sharks, Port Jackson sharks, and schooling fish.
Q: What are the best dive sites in Nelson Bay?
A: Popular sites include Fly Point, Little Beach, and The Pipeline for shore dives, while Broughton Island’s Looking Glass and North Rock are highlights for boat diving.
Q: When is the best time to dive Nelson Bay?
A: Diving is possible year-round, with water temperatures ranging from 17°C to 23°C. Many dives are best timed with the incoming tide to maximise visibility and marine life activity.
Q: Is Nelson Bay suitable for beginner divers?
A: Yes, many sites like Fly Point and Little Beach offer easy entry and navigation, making them suitable for beginners. However, some sites with strong tidal movement are better for divers with experience.
Q: How do I get to Nelson Bay’s dive sites?
A: Shore dives can be accessed directly from town, while boat trips to Broughton Island and North Rock are run by local dive operators from Nelson Bay Marina.
This article was originally published in Scuba Diver ANZ #64
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