Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
Ballina – Lennox Reef
Ballina & Evans Head, New South Wales · near Ballina / Lennox Head
| Depth | 8–20 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Giant stride from boat onto the reef |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-15 m |
| Water | summer 22-26 °C, winter 19-21 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm full suit |
| Best season | Winter after a run of southerlies has cleared the water |
| Bottom time | 40 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | Cape Byron Marine Park / Solitary Islands Marine Park zoning applies – check current sanctuary/habitat protection zone boundaries before diving or spearfishing |
| Nearest chamber | Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport) hyperbaric unit; Wesley Hospital (Brisbane) for complex cases |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Ballina – Lennox Reef
Also known as Lennox Reef
A quieter northern extension of the Ballina reef system toward Lennox Point, seeing very little diver traffic.
Near Ballina / Lennox Head · Ballina & Evans Head, New South Wales
- Depth
- 8–20 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~22 min
- Water
- 22-26 °C
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
Ballina – Lennox Reef8–20 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: June, July, August.
Winter after a run of southerlies has cleared the water
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 8–20 m
- Typical depth
- 15 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 2.5 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~22 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-26 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 19-21 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 40 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
3-5 mm full suit
Location
Lennox Reef · NSW Far North Coast – Ballina
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Ballina.
Primary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
Cape Byron Marine Park / Solitary Islands Marine Park zoning applies – check current sanctuary/habitat protection zone boundaries before diving or spearfishing
Nearest recompression chamber
Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport) hyperbaric unit; Wesley Hospital (Brisbane) for complex cases
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Ballina – Lennox Reef →
A day-by-day plan for Ballina & Evans Head with this site locked in.
This guide is a planning aid. Conditions change daily — confirm with a local dive centre and dive within your training. Data & safety notes.
Dive profile
How this site rates
Scores are computed from the recorded data, not opinions. How?
At a glance
Ballina – Lennox Reef is a reef boat dive in Ballina & Evans Head, NSW, 8–20 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, about 22 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m.
Why dive here
- A quieter northern extension of the Ballina reef system toward Lennox Point, seeing very little diver traffic.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
About Ballina – Lennox Reef
Lennox Reef is named and mapped separately from the broader Black Head reef complex to its south, sitting on the stretch of coast between Ballina and Lennox Point proper, though in practice the two are dived as a continuous system by the handful of private boats and club divers who make the trip out from the Richmond River. The reef structure continues the same broken rock, ledge and gutter pattern found along this section of coast, in a comfortable 8 to 20 m depth range that keeps it accessible without any particular technical demands beyond general reef-diving competence. As with the neighbouring Black Head grounds, the main draw for local divers is the seasonal chance of grey nurse sharks moving along this stretch of coast between the aggregation sites further north at Tweed/Nine Mile Reef and further south toward the Solitary Islands, along with turtles, wobbegong sharks and a typical subtropical reef fish community of kingfish, snapper and mulloway working the structure.
Because the site sits a little further from the river mouth than the closer Black Head reefs, it sees even less regular attention, making sightings here feel correspondingly more exclusive when conditions align. Access follows the same pattern as the rest of Ballina's diving: no resident dive shop, a private boat or club connection required, and a crossing of the sometimes-hazardous Ballina bar before reaching open water. Documentation of Lennox Reef as a distinct site from the broader Black Head system is limited, and the boundary between the two is more a matter of local convention than a formally marked feature, so prospective divers should treat the description here as indicative of the general character of this stretch of coast rather than a precisely bounded, independently verified site.
Getting there & entry
A discrete reef system between Ballina and Lennox Head, named separately from the general Black Head reef complex, dived by private boat from the Richmond River when conditions allow.
Ballina has no permanent full-service dive centre, so diving here is mostly private-boat or club-organised. Boats launch at the Ballina Fishermen's Co-op ramp or the public ramp on the Richmond River, then cross the Ballina bar — a notoriously changeable bar that should only be attempted by those experienced with it, in settled conditions and a rising or high tide. Lennox Reef sits between the Black Head reefs and Lennox Point proper, a short additional run north of the more commonly dived Black Head grounds.
Entry: Giant stride from boat onto the reef
Weather, swell & tides
This stretch of coast is exposed to easterly and south-easterly swell year-round, and the Ballina bar itself can close to small boats in a moderate swell or on an outgoing tide. Visibility degrades for days after Richmond River floods. Winter gives the clearest water and the best chance of grey nurse sharks.
Best season: Winter after a run of southerlies has cleared the water
How the dive is usually run
Drop onto the reef at 8-12 m, work the ledges and gutters toward Lennox Point looking for turtles and grey nurse sharks, and return shallow along the reef top for the ascent.
Marine life
- Grey nurse sharks (seasonal) →
- turtles →
- wobbegongs →
- kingfish
- snapper
- mulloway
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Beyond 18 m an Advanced certification (which includes a deep dive to 30 m) is the accepted minimum. Anything past 25 m is a deep dive in practice.
Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 15 m); the full site to 20 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water.
Operators' own listing: Open Water.
Depth tiers: 0–10 m easy · to 18 m Open Water · 18–30 m Advanced (25 m+ is a deep dive) · 30–40 m Deep specialty · 40 m+ technical. All courses
Hazards & warnings
Ballina bar crossing required; visibility poor after Richmond River floods; no resident dive-shop support.
Dive centres that go here
No dedicated charter; dived occasionally by private boats and local clubs from Ballina as an extension of a Black Head trip.
Other dive centres in Ballina & Evans Head
All dive centres in New South Wales →
Operators mentioned: local charter/private boats
General area
No position has been published for Ballina – Lennox Reef. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Ballina. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 3 km), from other documented sites near Ballina. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Ballina – Lennox Reef: frequently asked questions
How deep is Ballina – Lennox Reef?
Ballina – Lennox Reef reaches a maximum depth of 20 m, with the shallowest part at about 8 m; most of the dive is spent around 15 m.
What certification do I need to dive Ballina – Lennox Reef?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 15 m); the full site to 20 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water. Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m.
Can I shore dive Ballina – Lennox Reef?
No, it is reached by boat (about 22 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Ballina – Lennox Reef?
Winter after a run of southerlies has cleared the water.
What marine life will I see at Ballina – Lennox Reef?
Regularly recorded: Grey nurse sharks (seasonal), turtles, wobbegongs, kingfish, snapper, mulloway.
What wetsuit do I need at Ballina – Lennox Reef?
3-5 mm full suit.
How cold is the water at Ballina – Lennox Reef?
Typically 22-26 °C in summer and 19-21 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Ballina – Lennox Reef?
Ballina bar crossing required; visibility poor after Richmond River floods; no resident dive-shop support. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Ballina – Lennox Reef?
Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport) hyperbaric unit; Wesley Hospital (Brisbane) for complex cases. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Ballina & Evans Head
Ballina's reefs sit off the Richmond River mouth, with Black Head and the Riordan Shoals in 15–28 m and the wreck of the Wollongbar nearby. Evans Head has the Goanna Headland reefs. Visibility depends on the river, so locals dive after a run of southerlies.
Getting there: Two hours south of Brisbane. Boat dives with a local operator; shore snorkelling at Shelly Beach.
All Ballina & Evans Head dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Boundary with the Black Head reef system is not formally documented; treat as part of the same general reef network.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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