Diving

Sydney’s dive sites are very diverse with wreck, shore and boat dives all available which cater for all level of experience. One of Sydney’s premier shore dives and excellent for beginners is Shelley Beach. Based close to one of the main diving hubs at Manly this site is made up of white sand and a natural reef of tumbling boulders which goes no deeper than 14m, but it is packed full of marine life.  There is the chance of spotting a selection of sharks and there are regular sightings of Wobbegongs, Port Jackson Sharks, also during the winter Dusky Whaler sharks can be seen at Shelley Beach.  There is also a host of smaller marine life such as the rare Weedy Sea Dragon, Blue groupers and many different pretty nudibranches.

Sydney Harbour amazingly enough has a few excellent dive sites and even with its heavy commercial use there is still an abundance of marine life below the surface.  Port Jackson Sharks are regularly seen in the waters and surprisingly there are even some soft corals in the harbour.

The waters surrounding Sydney are home to many unique marine encounters, from one the largest creatures in the sea to one of the smallest. Whales and the strange Weedy Sea Dragon can both be spotted at Sydney’s dive sites. By far the smallest of these two creatures, the weird and mysterious looking weedy sea dragon is only found in one place in the whole world which is Southern Australia’s waters.  It is closely related to the sea horse and they blend into their surroundings, so it’s certainly amazing when you are treated to an encounter with one of these bizarre creatures!

At the other extreme Sydney has many whales passing through its waters on their migration routes.  Humpbacks, Southern Right Whales, Pilot Whales, Sperm Whales, Minke Whales, Killer Whales and False Killer Whales all can be seen off the coast of Sydney.

Just south of the famous Bondi Beach is Magic Point, this site is must dive for anyone who is a shark fanatic. Now listed as a critical shark habitat, this area now has regulations in place to protect the endangered Grey Nurse Sharks that live there, making this the only location in Sydney where divers can be pretty much guaranteed a shark encounter. The area is made up of caves and overhangs in which the sharks can be spotted sleeping and resting in their caves during the day.

Other activities

Sydney is a top tourist destination where visitors can easily get caught up in the city’s amazing atmosphere and spend more time than planned here.  Whether it be visiting the famous Opera House, climbing the Harbour Bridge or surfing the waves at Bondi Beach, Sydney offers something for everyone along with brilliant diving.