Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Forster – Elim Shoals
Forster & Seal Rocks, New South Wales · near Forster/Tuncurry
| Depth | 12–24 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Giant stride from charter boat onto a mooring |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 10-25 m |
| Water | summer 22-25 °C, winter 17-20 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter |
| Best season | Year-round |
| Bottom time | 40 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | None required |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) — John Hunter Hospital Newcastle has no recompression chamber |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Forster – Elim Shoals
Also known as Elim Shoals
A moderately documented shoal formation in the Forster dive rotation.
Near Forster/Tuncurry · Forster & Seal Rocks, New South Wales
- Depth
- 12–24 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~18 min
- Water
- 22-25 °C
- Visibility
- 10-25 m
Forster – Elim Shoals12–24 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 12–24 m
- Typical depth
- 18 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
- ~18 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 10-25 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-25 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 17-20 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 40 min
- Dive traffic
- Moderate (occasional charters/club dives)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter
Location
Forster · NSW Mid North Coast — Forster/Tuncurry & Seal Rocks
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Forster.
Marine park & permits
None required
Nearest recompression chamber
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) — John Hunter Hospital Newcastle has no recompression chamber
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Forster – Elim Shoals →
A day-by-day plan for Forster & Seal Rocks 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
Forster – Elim Shoals is a reef boat dive in Forster & Seal Rocks, NSW, 12–24 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, about 18 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m.
Why dive here
- A moderately documented shoal formation in the Forster dive rotation.
- Visibility often reaches 10-25 m.
About Forster – Elim Shoals
Elim Shoals is one of the moderately documented sites in Forster Dive Centre's site rotation, a shoal formation offering reef diving in a depth range of roughly twelve to twenty-four metres. As with several of the area's less prominently marketed sites, detailed published description of its exact topography and marine life is limited compared with the headline dives like The Pinnacle and Bennetts Head Bommie, suggesting it serves as a secondary option used to vary itineraries for repeat visitors or club groups rather than a site actively promoted to first-time visitors to the area. The general character of the site can reasonably be assumed to follow the broader Forster reef pattern — a mix of temperate and subtropical fish species, sponges and invertebrates on the rock structure, and the possibility of grey nurse sharks given the site's position within the same general waters as Latitude Rock and The Pinnacle.
Divers with a specific interest in this site, or planning a longer Forster stay wanting to see beyond the standard highlights, should ask Forster Dive Centre directly for current details, since confidence in the specific depth and marine life figures given here is lower than for the area's better-documented dives. It is included in this survey for completeness given its appearance in local site listings, but should be treated as a provisional entry pending further verification. Anyone specifically wanting to dive it should raise it directly when booking, since it is unlikely to appear on a standard trip without being requested.
Getting there & entry
A shoal formation off Forster included in the local dive centre's site rotation, offering moderate-depth reef diving.
Boats depart Forster Dive Centre's Tuncurry base or the Forster/Tuncurry boat ramp, running a short distance to the shoal.
Entry: Giant stride from charter boat onto a mooring
Weather, swell & tides
Forster and Seal Rocks sit on an open, exposed stretch of coast with limited shelter — trips are cancelled in significant easterly swell or strong wind. Visibility is typically best in autumn and winter.
Best season: Year-round
How the dive is usually run
Descend onto the shoal and work its structure at 12-24 m in typical Forster reef style, exploring for reef fish and invertebrates typical of the area.
Marine life
- General Forster-area reef fish and invertebrates (not specifically documented)
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 18 m); the full site to 24 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
Standard boat-diving precautions; specific hazards not documented.
Dive centres that go here
Forster Dive Centre (Tuncurry) — occasional inclusion in the local dive rotation.
Operators recorded for Forster – Elim Shoals
General area
No position has been published for Forster – Elim Shoals. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Forster. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 15 km), from other documented sites near Forster. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Forster – Elim Shoals: frequently asked questions
How deep is Forster – Elim Shoals?
Forster – Elim Shoals reaches a maximum depth of 24 m, with the shallowest part at about 12 m; most of the dive is spent around 18 m.
What certification do I need to dive Forster – Elim Shoals?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 18 m); the full site to 24 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water. Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m.
Can I shore dive Forster – Elim Shoals?
No, it is reached by boat (about 18 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Forster – Elim Shoals?
Year-round.
What marine life will I see at Forster – Elim Shoals?
Regularly recorded: General Forster-area reef fish and invertebrates (not specifically documented).
What wetsuit do I need at Forster – Elim Shoals?
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter.
How cold is the water at Forster – Elim Shoals?
Typically 22-25 °C in summer and 17-20 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Forster – Elim Shoals?
Standard boat-diving precautions; specific hazards not documented. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Forster – Elim Shoals?
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) — John Hunter Hospital Newcastle has no recompression chamber. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Forster & Seal Rocks
Forster is one of the best places in the world to dive with grey nurse sharks. The Pinnacles, Latitude Rock and the Big Seal at Seal Rocks hold aggregations of 20–60 sharks in season, and Seal Rocks' gutters are within a few hundred metres of a beach launch. The SS Satara, a 1910 steamer in 44 m, and the Pinnacle's own wrecks add deep options.
Getting there: Three and a half hours north of Sydney. Forster charters run the Pinnacles and Latitude Rock; Seal Rocks is a beach launch or a longer boat trip. Shore dives at Forster's Bennetts Head and the Tuncurry breakwall.
All Forster & Seal Rocks dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
