Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)
Yorke Peninsula, South Australia · near Port Vincent
| Depth | 1–4 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Snorkel/Any |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore |
| Entry | Beach entry |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 2-6 m |
| Water | summer 19-23 °C, winter 12-14 °C |
| Suit | 5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter |
| Best season | Summer on calm days with westerly winds |
| Bottom time | 40 min |
| Position | -34.61000, 137.89000 (approximate) |
| Permit | None required |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)
Also known as Black Point beach reef
Quiet beach snorkel over seagrass on a shack-lined point – not a scuba site. Not to be confused with Black Point near Whyalla.
Near Port Vincent · Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
- Depth
- 1–4 m
- Minimum level
- Snorkel/Any
- Access
- Shore
- Boat ride
- Shore entry
- Water
- 19-23 °C
- Visibility
- 2-6 m
Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)1–4 m · Snorkel/Any · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, December.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 1–4 m
- Typical depth
- 2 m
- Certification
- Snorkel/Any
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Shore
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- Yes
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 2-6 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 19-23 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 12-14 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 40 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Yes
Exposure suit
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter
Location
Black Point · Yorke Peninsula – East Coast (Gulf St Vincent)
-34.61000, 137.89000
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: visityorkepeninsula.com.auMarine park & permits
None required
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide)
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Black Point (Yorke Peninsula) →
A day-by-day plan for Yorke Peninsula 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
Black Point (Yorke Peninsula) is a shore / rock platform shore dive you can do independently in Yorke Peninsula, SA, 1–4 m, suitable for snorkellers and first-time divers.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note cold water.
Why dive here
- Quiet beach snorkel over seagrass on a shack-lined point – not a scuba site. Not to be confused with Black Point near Whyalla.
- Snorkel-friendly, so non-diving companions can join at the surface.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
About Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)
Black Point is a long, low sandy point lined with holiday shacks between Pine Point and Port Vincent, facing across Gulf St Vincent. It is included because the regional brief names it, but it is essentially a swimming and snorkelling beach rather than a documented dive site: none of the SDFSA, Dive Shack or Marine Life Society site lists mention it, and there is no jetty of note. The water off the point is shallow and clear on calm westerly days, over white sand, seagrass meadows and occasional patches of low reef and rubble.
Snorkellers see the typical fauna of the upper gulf seagrass beds: juvenile whiting, garfish, tommy ruff, blue swimmer crabs, small rays and stingarees, and in weedier patches pipefish and the chance of a seahorse. Dolphins are regularly seen from the beach along this coast. For scuba divers it offers little: the depth is limited, there is no significant structure, and visibility deteriorates rapidly with any easterly.
Its value is as a quiet family snorkel for people staying at Black Point, with easy beach entries and no crowds. Note that this Black Point should not be confused with Black Point in Fitzgerald Bay near Whyalla, which is part of the giant cuttlefish aggregation area (see separate entry). Data confidence is low and the listing should be read as a snorkel spot.
Getting there & entry
Shack settlement on a long sandy spit between Pine Point and Port Vincent on the east coast of Yorke Peninsula, with shallow sand, seagrass and patchy low reef off the beach.
Black Point is signposted off the coast road about 10 km north of Port Vincent (roughly 185 km from Adelaide). A sealed road leads to the shack settlement along the point; park near the beach access points or the boat ramp and walk a few metres across the sand. Entries are straightforward beach walk-ins; the water shelves very gradually.
Entry: Beach entry
Facilities: Boat ramp, limited parking along the point; shops and services in Port Vincent (10 km).
Weather, swell & tides
Black Point faces into Gulf St Vincent and is exposed to easterly and south-easterly winds, which quickly cloud the water. Offshore westerlies give the calmest conditions. There is no swell of note.
The water is shallow, so tide matters: high tide gives the most water over the seagrass and patchy reef. Summer sea breezes pick up after midday.
Best season: Summer on calm days with westerly winds
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Black Point (Yorke Peninsula) doesn't.
- Pine Point Jetty · 5 km · Max 3 m
- Port Vincent Jetty · 19 km · Max 5 m
- Ardrossan Town Jetty · 21 km · Max 6 m
- Ardrossan BHP Jetty · 23 km · Max 15 m
How the dive is usually run
Snorkel along the beach at high tide over the seagrass and patchy reef, keeping clear of the boat ramp channel.
Marine life
- Juvenile whiting
- garfish
- tommy ruff
- blue swimmer crabs
- stingarees
- small rays
- pipefish →
- seagrass fauna; dolphins offshore
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Shallow enough for snorkellers and for a first dive under supervision. Any certified diver can dive it.
Courses that help here
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
- Peak Performance Buoyancy – Silt and low visibility punish poor trim.
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
Boat ramp traffic; stingrays in the shallows; poor visibility in easterly winds; sun exposure.
Dive centres that go here
No operator; used for snorkelling and swimming by shack owners and campers. Not a listed scuba site.
Other dive centres in Yorke Peninsula
Adelaide Scuba
ListedGlenelg North · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide business providing training, equipment and local diving support, located near Glenelg.
adelaidescuba.com.au · (08) 8294 7744
Diving Adelaide
ListedMarleston · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide training and guided diving operation serving local sites and organised trips.
divingadelaide.com.au · (08) 8122 5003
The Dive Shack
ListedGlenelg · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide business combining retail, servicing and training for South Australian divers.
thediveshack.com.au
All dive centres in South Australia →
Operators mentioned: None
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Black Point (Yorke Peninsula): frequently asked questions
How deep is Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
Black Point (Yorke Peninsula) reaches a maximum depth of 4 m, with the shallowest part at about 1 m; most of the dive is spent around 2 m.
What certification do I need to dive Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
No certification is needed to snorkel it, and it suits introductory dives. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note cold water.
Can I shore dive Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
Yes. Black Point (Yorke Peninsula) is a shore dive that can be done independently: beach entry.
When is the best time to dive Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
Summer on calm days with westerly winds.
What marine life will I see at Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
Regularly recorded: Juvenile whiting, garfish, tommy ruff, blue swimmer crabs, stingarees, small rays, pipefish, seagrass fauna; dolphins offshore.
What wetsuit do I need at Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter.
How cold is the water at Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
Typically 19-23 °C in summer and 12-14 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
Boat ramp traffic; stingrays in the shallows; poor visibility in easterly winds; sun exposure. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Black Point (Yorke Peninsula)?
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is jetty country. Edithburgh, Port Hughes, Wool Bay, Stenhouse Bay and Port Victoria have some of the richest macro diving in Australia under their pylons: blue devils, pyjama squid, seahorses, tasselled anglerfish, leafy seadragons and carpets of sponges in 5–12 m. Marion Bay and Innes National Park at the southern tip add wrecks, sea lions and clearer open-coast water.
Getting there: Two to four hours west of Adelaide. All the jetties are walk-in shore dives with ladders or beach entries; Innes National Park sites need a park pass.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Not a documented dive site; description based on regional geography.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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