CLUB DIVES
Dive Sites
Dive with Sydney's Best Dive Shop
Discover a glorious underwater world brimming with schools of fish, colourful sponge gardens and even amazing marine creatures like weedy sea dragons, blue ring octopus, seals, bull rays, occasional turtles and so much more!
Sydney is an overlooked underwater wonderland, with so much to offer at your doorstep. You only have to jump in and the magic will happen!
Frog Dive goes everywhere in Sydney, with no limits for underwater exploration. Join us for a shore dives on a protect harbour beach full of marine life or go beyond and reach the depths of technical diving on some of the most beautiful wrecks at Long Reef.
Shore Dives
Frog Dive offer FREE Guided Shore Dives every weekend! Everybody is welcome, you must be a certified diver and your last dive should not be later than 12 months from the diving day.
Bookings are essential, go to our Diving Calendar to see our upcoming dives and to save your spot!
Please note that all of our shore dives are Open Water Diver friendly, however dive sites can be classified as Green or Orange Levels, depending on factors such as:
Green Level Dive
โ๏ธ Beginner Diver friendly!
โ๏ธ Easy Entry/Exit
โ๏ธ Great to gain diving experience
โ๏ธ It might have long walk/steps with gear, please check the site if that is an issue;
Orange Level Dive
โ๏ธ A bit of experience is advised!
โ๏ธ Entry/Exit point can be challenging
โ๏ธ Site conditions can be strongly weather / tide depending
โ๏ธ It might have long walk/steps to do reach entry point, please check the site if that is an issue
Freshwater / Harbord
Average Depth 12m | Max. Depth 18m | Orange Level Dive
A nice and easy dive, good for the beginner and advanced diver alike. Important to be aware that the entry/exit can be tricky if the seas are up, making this dive an Orange Level.
There is a channel next to the ocean pool that you can head out through. The best entry, although it leaves you a slightly longer swim, is to head away from the pool towards Freshwater Beach across the rocks where you will find a nice sandy place to enter the water.
Follow along the rock wall where there are several channels that cut into the rock perfect to go and explore. On this dive you can expect to see Wobbegongs, the odd Kingfish shoot by, Blue groupers, Morwongs, Leatherjackets, Old wives and occasionally Weedy sea dragons in the kelp or Turtles feeding on the seagrass nearby.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Fairy Bower
Average Depth 6m | Max. Depth 8m | Green Level Dive
Fairy Bower is a dive site that is part of the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve and, as a result, has a broad range of fish life. It's a shallow dive and access to the site is from a small set of steps that straddle the wall that runs along Marine Parade and then across the rocks.
There really is a surprisingly good range of aquatic life out there from Turtles to Dusky whaler sharks through to Cow nosed rays. This is a dive to take slowly and have a good poke around in the gutters, cracks and crevasses that run across the site.
You can find Wobbegongs, Fiddler rays, the odd Eagle ray, Giant cuttlefish, Estuarine catfish, Eastern blue gropers, plenty of Stingarees, a resident Turtle if you are lucky and, in season, juvenile Dusky whaler sharks. There has even been the odd Grey nurse shark spotted there. In addition, there is a lot of smaller life fish life to observe.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Little Manly
Average Depth 7m | Max. Depth 10m | Green Level Dive
A gentle shore dive with easy access to the water walking down the path to the steps and then across Little Manly Beach. One way to do this dive is to follow the nets around the pool and then before the nets meet the rocks on the Eastern side you follow the rocks along to the South West. Turn around and follow your steps back for exit.
In and around the rocks you can expect to see Octopus, Cuttlefish, Morays, Red morwongs, Drummer Scorpion cods and Sweep. Out on the sand you will find Flathead, Rays, Wobbegongs and Stingrays. The highlight of this dive, however, are the Seahorses on the nets. The easy navigation makes this a good spot for a night dive.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Shelly Beach - Manly
Average Depth 7m | Max. Depth 14m | Green Level Dive
Shelly Beach lies within the Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve: with more than 160 species of fish recorded in the Reserve, there is always plenty to see! The only West facing beach in NSW, Shelly Beach is a very protected dive site in most weather conditions. The abundant marine life associated with the ease of the dive make Shelly Beach one of Sydney's best shore dives.
When diving in Shelly Beach, you are likely to find many species of Rays, Wobbegongs, Flatheads, Octopus, a range of Leatherjackets, Old wives, Dusky whalers (April - June), Giant cuttlefish and Port Jackson sharks (August and September) and so much more. For beginners and experienced divers alike, a dive at Shelly Beach is always a memorable experience and a good time.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Fairlight
Average Depth 10m | Max. Depth 14m | Green Level Dive
With steps that lead down to a small beach, this dive site has an easy entry and exit point. Best way to navigate here is head out from the beach in a Southerly direction, swimming out over a lot of kelp, until you come across an East/West wall that drops down to around 14 m.
You can head East or West along the wall and should be able to cover the whole wall on the one dive. About halfway along the wall, on the sand, are a couple of small wrecks that are worth a poke around.
Some of the marine creatures you can expect see are shoaling fish such as Yellow Tails, Old Wives and a lot of Rock Cale and Red Morwongs. With big boulders for seascape, you will find Cuttlefish, Leatherjackets, Stripeys, Sea Pike and Rays on the sand.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Clifton Gardens / Chowder Bay
Average Depth 8m | Max. Depth 10m | Green Level Dive
A very protected dive site, Clifton Gardens is one of the best macro sites in Sydney! Like a lot of macro subjects, the life at Clifton Gardens is well hidden, so travel slowly, take your time and come back several times.
Dive around the pier and nets to find abundant marine life at display. There is also some more advanced navigation to find the "wreck", located in the middle of the bay at about 16m deep.
You should expect to see Octopus, Cuttlefish, Sea Horses, Angler Fish, Nudibranchs, Decorator crabs, Fanbelly leatherjackets, Luderick, Rays, Flatheads, Blennies hanging around in bottles, possibly a Pineapple fish lurking around and so much more.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Camp Cove
Average Depth 6m | Max. Depth 8m | Green Level Dive
A shallow and protected dive that is great for beginners not only because of the easy access and navigation but also because of the fish life in the area. It is an easy walk into the water and then you have a couple of choices. You can go out to the reef and then back to the shore or you can head along the shoreline keeping the rocks to your right.
There is often a lot to see at Camp Cove with Octopus, Wobbegongs, Cuttlefish, Pipefish, White's seahorses, Morays, Stingrays, Numb rays, Old Wives and a range of Leatherjackets. The boulders that make the shore line offer an array of the swim-troughs and rocks shelves. It is also a good spot for a night dive.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
North Bondi
Average Depth 14m | Max. Depth 18m | Orange Level Dive
There are a set of steps that lead down from there to the rock platform. The entry and exit can be a bit trick if the seas are up, making this dive an Orange Level. The 'home-made' boat ramp at the North end of the rock platform is a good entry and exit point.
Basically, keep the rocks to your left and follow them South until you get to about 15 m depth and then you are going to follow the rocks to the East. It is a great dive to take your time with and have a poke around in the boulders and cracks for Eastern blue devil fish, Moray eels, Giant cuttlefish and Blackfish. As you progress around the reef you should find Weedy sea, Blue gropers and a range of Wrasses and Rays on the sand. All the normal fish are here, Sydney cardinal fish, Old wives, Red morwongs, Sweep, Snapper, Port Jackson sharks and the rest.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Clovelly Pool
Average Depth 5m | Max. Depth 10m | Green Level Dive
Clovelly Pool sits in the Bronte-Coogee Aquatic Reserve. This is a shallow dive so a good one to do if you are starting out. There are some restrictions about diving in, or through, the pool. Please check on the Randwick Council website but currently between the 1st of October and the 30th of April diving is restricted between 8am and 6pm. So, it's either an early start or an evening/night dive.
The site is very protected from all but a South-Easterly. You can dive the sides of the pool crossing the bottom and forming a big rectangle. You will be joined by Blue Gropers, Moray eels in the rocks, Red Morwongs, Rays as well as Yellowtail, Sea pike and Bream. You should find some Wobbegongs and Giant cuttlefish under the overhangs!
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Long Bay / Malabar
Average Depth 7m | Max. Depth 11m | Green Level Dive
There are a couple of places to enter, and exit, around the pool. At high tide you can step off the pool wall at low tide you are going to flop in off the rocks. When in head East to get a bit more depth and then drop down and head parallel with the shoreline heading South-East. As you head along there are several 'holes', ledges and overhangs where you can find Bullseyes. Rock Kale tend to hang around the rather bare rocks.
Amidst the rocks are patches of sand and if you get far enough it is pretty much all sand with Rays, Flatheads and the odd Blue groper. By all means keep an eye open for Weedy sea dragons amidst the kelp, you might be lucky. There is not much soft life here, the rocks are pretty bare so take your time to have a good mooch around in this spot where you can pretty much always get in the water.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Bare Island
Average Depth 10m | Max. Depth 18m | Orange Level Dive
A very popular dive site in Sydney, Bare Island is a great dive site due to its flexibility - if one side of the island is a bit rough, the other side should have good conditions to dive. With a several options to get in and out of the water, the best spot will depend on the weather conditions. As the entry/exit can be trick if the seas are up, this is an Orange Level Dive.
Choose what side is best to dive to the conditions or, for the most advanced divers, circumnavigate around the island. You can expect to see Luderick, Snapper, Old wives, Red scorpion fish, Wobbegongs, Port Jacksons and the odd passing Kingfish. Keep a good eye open for Red Indian fish hidden under overhang rocks and Weedy sea dragons near the kelp patches, as well as Flathead and Stingrays on the sand.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
The Monument - Kurnell
Average Depth 12m | Max. Depth 14m | Green Level Dive
A great dive site, but always good to have a look at the entry/exit before gearing up because the sea conditions can make this spot hard to get in and out of. Assuming the seas are favourable, a good entry point is down the track onto the rock platform, where you will find a small inlet.
With many boulders and rock walls, you should find balls of Catfish, Wobbegongs, Bream, Cuttlefish, Moray eels and Old wives. Weedy sea dragons are the star of the show here as well as the chance to see Pygmy pipe horses. You will also see Nudibranches-a-plenty and lots of soft life such as Feather duster worms, ascidians and a range of corals.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
The Steps - Kurnell
Average Depth 14m | Max. Depth 18m | Orange Level Dive
Gear up at the top of the cliff and follow the track to the stairs, a very well-constructed set of steps that lead down to a rock platform that you can use as entry/exit point. With the appropriated pre-planning, this dive can be done as a drift from the Steps to the Monument.
The seas need to be calm to use this entry/exit, for that reason this is an Orange Level Dive. If the sea is any larger than around 1.5m, it's recommended to leave this dive for another day. Jumping in to use the incoming tide/slack water is the best time to dive this site.
You are likely to find Weedy sea dragons masquerading as Kelp. In addition to that you will see Bream, Old wives, Luderick, Blue gropers, Giant cuttlefish, Port jacksons. Moray Eels and the occasional Turtle. Given you are pretty much facing the open sea you can also get some interesting 'swim pasts' and, in the winter, you will often hear the singing of the Humpback whales.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
The Leap - Kurnell
Average Depth 16m | Max. Depth 22m | Orange Level Dive
This dive site takes its name from the big leap you will need to do off the rock platform to get in the water. For that reason, there's no exit at the Leap, with most divers exiting this dive at the Steps.
There are good set of steps, opposite the parking area, that lead down onto the rock platform where you will see a small headland perfect to jump in. With an amazing seascape made of boulders, walls and crevasses, the star of the show is the famous Weedy Sea Dragon hiding around the kelp patches.
Apart from the Weedies, of which there are normally an abundance, you are also likely to see Wobbegongs, Port jackson sharks, Giant cuttlefish, Moray eels, Old wives, Eastern blue devils, shoaling Bullseyes, and Yellow tails around the swim through's and the odd ball of Catfish. It is also a really good site for Nudibranchs and soft life such as ascidians, corals and sponges.
* This dive site description is based on "The Dive Spots of New South Wales" published with the permission of authors Graham Willis & Johan Boshoff. Further reproduction without permission of the copyright owner is prohibited.
Oak Park
Average Depth 12m | Max. Depth 9m | Green Level Dive
Oak Park is a nice dive with plenty to see, suitable for beginners and advanced divers alike. Often used by diving schools for training, it is a large dive site and with great dive day and night time.
With a wall that runs in an arc from shore, going from East and gradually turning to North, it has numerous low caverns or overhangs that are home to abundant marine life. The site is fairly protected from southerly winds and seas, but big swells from that direction and basically anything from the east or north can make diving there hazardous.
Some of the marine life you can expect to see are Crimson-banded wrasse, yellowtail, herring cale, black-spot goatfish, ladder-finned pomfret, common bullseye, mado, cuttlefish, white ear, sergeant baker, red morwong, orange-lined wrasse, velvet leatherjacket amongst others. Under the overhangs you might be lucky enough to see an eastern blue devilfish, moray eels and even pineapplefish.
Shiprock
Average Depth 12m | Max. Depth 18m | Green Level Dive
Shiprock got its name from a large rock formation on the edge of the shore that, when viewed from the water, looks like a ship. With well-maintained set of stairs that lead down to the water, it is a nice and easy dive with plenty to see.
Very tide depended, this site is better dived within 20/25 min before and after the slack of high/low tide. At other times, the dive site is subject to strong tidal currents and poor visibility. Intense boat traffic, especially on high season and weekends. Be aware to always surface from the dive in shallow waters and near the rock walls.
Shiprock is an aquatic reserve and as such all fish life is protected. This site is home to many tropical species. The abundant overhangs are home to estuary catfish, cuttlefish, decorator crabs, spider crabs, moray and conger eels amongst other.
Explore more:
The Dive Spots of NSW
An indispensable guide for all levels of diver and snorkeler, broadening their horizons on places to visit and dive/snorkel in NSW.
Have handy valuable information on more than 250 dive/snorkel spots in New South Wales.
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Marine Species Guide
A reference guide to marine and fish species that can be found around the world.
This book can be used by scuba divers and snorkelers as a quick reference guide to help them identify and learn about the fish species they might encounter underwater.
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