Bare Island (La Perouse, Botany Bay)
Bare Island, at the end of Anzac Parade at La Perouse and joined to the mainland by a timber bridge, is arguably Sydney's most popular dive site, suited to day or night diving in almost all weather. The sheltered eastern side is shallower with better visibility and suits beginners, while the south-western Deep Wall goes to about 19 m for experienced divers. Seahorses, sea dragons, pygmy pipehorses, nudibranchs, flatworms, anglerfish and snapper are found, with Port Jackson sharks in winter.
Facts
- Region: New South Wales – Byron Bay to Eden (Australia)
- Area: Sydney & Botany Bay
- Depth: 5–19 m
- Level: beginner
- Current: low
- Type: shore, reef, wall
- Coordinates: -33.99316, 151.2299 (approximate)
- Highlights: seahorses, weedy sea dragons, pygmy pipehorses, nudibranchs, anglerfish, Port Jackson sharks (winter)
- Tips: Position is the published deep-wall waypoint just south-west of the island (community GPS); approximate. Dives run around the island and along the shore either side of the bridge. Small boats and jet skis speed under the bridge and ignore dive flags: listen before leaving the bottom and swim back to shore before ascending. Fort/bridge access rules are on the NSW National Parks site.