Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach
Geographe Bay & Busselton, Western Australia · near Dunsborough
| Depth | 1–5 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Snorkel/Any |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore |
| Entry | Walk-in from the beach |
| Current | None |
| Visibility | 5-15 m |
| Water | summer 20-23 °C, winter 16-18 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm in winter |
| Best season | Summer and autumn (December-May) with morning easterly winds |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | -33.53900, 115.03500 (approximate) |
| Permit | Ngari Capes Marine Park - check Cape Naturaliste zoning |
| Nearest chamber | Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach
Also known as Bunker Bay, Shelley Beach, Shelly Cove, Cape Naturaliste shore reef
A short swim to a reef-fringed rock with a surprising variety of reef fish at the tip of Cape Naturaliste.
Near Dunsborough · Geographe Bay & Busselton, Western Australia
- Depth
- 1–5 m
- Minimum level
- Snorkel/Any
- Access
- Shore
- Boat ride
- Shore entry
- Water
- 20-23 °C
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach1–5 m · Snorkel/Any · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, May, December.
Summer and autumn (December-May) with morning easterly winds
- Best months
- Now (November)
Dive facts
- Depth
- 1–5 m
- Typical depth
- 4 m
- Certification
- Snorkel/Any
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Shore
- Offshore
- 0.05 km
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- Yes
- Current
- None
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 20-23 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 16-18 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Moderate (occasional charters/club dives)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Yes
Exposure suit
3-5 mm wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm in winter
Location
Bunker Bay / Cape Naturaliste · South West WA - Dunsborough, Geographe Bay & Cape Naturaliste
-33.53900, 115.03500
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
Ngari Capes Marine Park - check Cape Naturaliste zoning
Nearest recompression chamber
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth)
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach →
A day-by-day plan for Geographe Bay & Busselton 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
Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach is a shore / rock platform shore dive you can do independently in Geographe Bay & Busselton, WA, 1–5 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 boat traffic overhead.
Why dive here
- A short swim to a reef-fringed rock with a surprising variety of reef fish at the tip of Cape Naturaliste.
- Snorkel-friendly, so non-diving companions can join at the surface.
About Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach
Bunker Bay sits on the northern tip of Cape Naturaliste, where Geographe Bay meets the Indian Ocean. Marinelife.org.au describes a dive and snorkel from Shelley Beach to a small rock about 60 m offshore, with reef on its seaward side in about 5 m, and good snorkelling and diving along the shore toward West Point. It lists stingrays, bream, sweep, moonlighters, stripeys, coralfish, red-lipped morwong and prettyfish, a notable mix that reflects the warm Leeuwin Current reaching the cape. Meelup Park notes Bunker Bay's white sand and summer swimming.
The granite reef here supports sponges, weed and some corals, and the diversity of small reef fish is good for such a shallow site. The short swim makes it accessible to snorkellers and shore divers of all levels in calm conditions, while the shoreline toward West Point gives longer dives.
Bunker Bay is also within the Ngari Capes Marine Park, which has a Cape Naturaliste sanctuary zone nearby - check current zoning maps before fishing or collecting.
Geographe Bay faces north, so Cape Naturaliste blocks most of the prevailing south-westerly swell and sea breeze that close the ocean coast; that shelter and the warm Leeuwin Current make the Dunsborough shoreline one of the most reliably diveable stretches of the South West, and winter north-westerly storms are the main thing that shuts it down.
Getting there & entry
Small rock about 60 m off Shelley Beach at Bunker Bay on the northern tip of Cape Naturaliste, with reef on its seaward side in about 5 m, and good snorkelling along the shore toward West Point.
From Dunsborough follow Cape Naturaliste Road north-west about 13 km, then turn onto Bunker Bay Road. Park at the Shelley Beach/Bunker Bay car parks and walk down to the beach. Swim about 60 m out to the small rock, or snorkel along the shore toward West Point.
The nearest full-service dive shop for fills and hire is Swan Dive in Busselton; there is no dedicated dive shop in Margaret River or Augusta, so bring filled cylinders.
Entry: Walk-in from the beach
Facilities: Car parks at Bunker Bay; cafe at the Bunker Bay resort; toilets.
Weather, swell & tides
Bunker Bay faces north and is sheltered from the south-west, but it is close to the tip of Cape Naturaliste and can pick up swell wrapping around the cape; northerly winds also bring chop. Summer mornings are best. General pattern in Geographe Bay: sheltered from south-westerly swell by Cape Naturaliste; summer mornings are calm before the afternoon sea breeze, while winter north-westerly fronts roll swell and chop into the bay and reduce visibility for several days.
Best season: Summer and autumn (December-May) with morning easterly winds
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach doesn't.
- Meelup Beach · 6 km · Max 4 m
- Yallingup Lagoon · 12 km · Max 3 m
- Injidup Natural Spa · 19 km · Max 2 m
- Eagle Bay · 4 km · Max 3 m
How the dive is usually run
Swim from Shelley Beach to the small rock 60 m offshore, explore the reef on its seaward side at about 5 m, then follow the shoreline toward West Point before returning. Snorkellers should stay within easy reach of the exit point and swim with a buddy; scuba divers at these depths need no safety stop but should ascend slowly and surface near the float.
Marine life
- Stingrays
- bream
- sweep
- moonlighters
- stripeys
- coralfish
- red-lipped morwong
- prettyfish
- western king wrasse
- sponges
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.
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
Swell wrapping around Cape Naturaliste; boat traffic in summer; stingrays; slippery rocks.
Dive centres that go here
No operator needed - self-guided snorkel and shore dive. Swan Dive (Busselton) supplies hire gear and fills and can advise on conditions.
Operators recorded for Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach
Swan Dive
Named by sitesBusselton · Margaret River & Augusta · WA
Also operates from 310 Geographe Bay Rd, Quindalup (Dunsborough).
swandive.com.au · 0439 108 760
Dive Busselton Jetty
Named by sitesBusselton · Geographe Bay & Busselton · WA
Not operating dives or undersea walks for the 2025-26 season due to jetty redevelopment; hopes to resume Dec 2026.
divebusseltonjetty.com.au
Other dive centres in Geographe Bay & Busselton
Octopus Garden Dive Charters
Named by sitesBunbury · Geographe Bay & Busselton · WA
Operates from Bunbury (not Busselton); dive charters and dolphin cruises.
octopusgardendivecharters.com.au · 0417 794 008
Coastal Water Dive
Named by sitesEast Bunbury · Geographe Bay & Busselton · WA
Shop is in Bunbury, not Busselton.
coastalwaterdive.com.au · (08) 9721 7786
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views


Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach: frequently asked questions
How deep is Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach reaches a maximum depth of 5 m, with the shallowest part at about 1 m; most of the dive is spent around 4 m.
What certification do I need to dive Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
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 boat traffic overhead.
Can I shore dive Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
Yes. Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach is a shore dive that can be done independently: walk-in from the beach.
When is the best time to dive Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
Summer and autumn (December-May) with morning easterly winds.
What marine life will I see at Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
Regularly recorded: Stingrays, bream, sweep, moonlighters, stripeys, coralfish, red-lipped morwong, prettyfish, western king wrasse, sponges.
What wetsuit do I need at Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
3-5 mm wetsuit in summer; 5-7 mm in winter.
How cold is the water at Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
Typically 20-23 °C in summer and 16-18 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
Swell wrapping around Cape Naturaliste; boat traffic in summer; stingrays; slippery rocks. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Bunker Bay - Shelley Beach?
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Geographe Bay & Busselton
Geographe Bay is sheltered from the Southern Ocean swell and has the 1.8 km Busselton Jetty with its underwater observatory, the HMAS Swan wreck off Dunsborough, the Four Mile Reef sponge gardens and easy beach dives at Meelup and Castle Rock. It is the South-West's most reliable diving.
Getting there: Two and a half hours south of Perth. Busselton Jetty is a walk-in dive (or a jetty-train ride); charters from Dunsborough run the Swan.
All Geographe Bay & Busselton dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
- marinelife.org.au/?page_id=170
- meeluppark.com/visitor-information/swimming-surfing-and-snorkelling.aspx
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngari_Capes_Marine_Park
Data confidence: Medium. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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