The Esperance Jetty is the heart of the town's shore diving. The original timber Tanker Jetty, built in 1935 to service fuel tankers and later a beloved fishing and diving platform, was closed in 2015 for safety reasons and – after a long community debate – demolished, with demolition completed in June 2020. A new 415 m jetty of concrete and steel opened on 28 March 2021 at a cost of about $8.3 million. Its heritage section (bends 1-10) echoes the curved profile of the old jetty and incorporates reclaimed timbers in interpretive features, and a dedicated diving platform was retained in the design.

The old jetty was famous as a haven for leafy seadragons and visiting seals, and part of the new jetty's purpose was to keep that underwater life accessible. The Shire describes a designated dive trail at the jetty end, 50-100 m offshore, where artificial reef habitat supports leafy seadragons, skipjack trevally ('skippy'), whiting and other species. Esperance Diving & Fishing lists the jetty for leafy seadragons, schools of old wives, nudibranchs and soft corals on the piles, and a separate tyre-module Tanker Jetty artificial reef in a no-fishing zone (see the separate row).

The diving is shallow, easy and close to town – the dive shop is a short walk away – which makes it ideal for training, photography, night dives and a first dive on arrival. The new piles are still developing growth compared with the old timber jetty, but fish life is plentiful and seadragons are regularly found.

Anglers use the jetty around the clock, so divers should watch for lines and hooks, fly a flag and stay clear of fishing areas. There are fish-cleaning stations, shelters and lighting along the jetty.

The jetty is on The Esplanade in central Esperance, opposite the town centre, about 200 m from Esperance Diving & Fishing at 72 The Esplanade. Park along The Esplanade or in the foreshore car parks. Walk the 415 m jetty with gear on a trolley to the dedicated dive platform near the end; the dive trail and artificial reef habitat lie 50-100 m offshore at the jetty end.

Alternatively enter from the beach at the jetty base and swim out along the piles.

Esperance Bay is sheltered from the Southern Ocean swell by the Recherche islands, so the jetty is diveable most of the year. Strong south-easterly winds (summer afternoons) chop up the bay and reduce visibility, and winter storms stir up the sandy bottom. There is no significant current.

Night dives are popular in calm conditions. Anglers use the jetty day and night, and fishing with wire traces is prohibited within 800 m.

Enter from the dive platform, follow the piles out to the jetty end, then follow the dive trail markers across the artificial reef habitat 50-100 m offshore, looking for leafy seadragons in the weed. Return along the piles to the platform.

Esperance Diving & Fishing (72 The Esplanade, Esperance; operating since 1983) – boat dives in the Recherche Archipelago on demand/weather permitting, minimum numbers apply for long trips – guided jetty and night dives on request; Perth Scuba Esperance weekenders include jetty shore and night dives.