Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Greg's Grotto
Pilbara & Dampier, Western Australia · near Onslow
| Depth | 10–14 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Backward roll from private or hire boat |
| Current | Moderate |
| Visibility | 5-15 m |
| Water | summer 28-30 °C, winter 21-23 °C |
| Suit | 3 mm full suit |
| Best season | April–October |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | No marine park permit required; Thevenard Island nature reserve rules on land |
| Nearest chamber | Fiona Stanley Hospital (Perth) – evacuation via RFDS from Karratha |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Greg's Grotto
Also known as Gregs Grotto
Colourful caves and ledges with sharks.
Near Onslow · Pilbara & Dampier, Western Australia
- Depth
- 10–14 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~20 min
- Water
- 28-30 °C
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
Greg's Grotto10–14 m · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 10–14 m
- Typical depth
- 14 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Open Water (10–18 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 22 km
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~20 min
- Current
- Moderate
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 28-30 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 21-23 °C
- Water
- Tropical
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
3 mm full suit
Location
Mackerel Islands (Thevenard Island) · Pilbara – Onslow & Mackerel Islands
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Onslow.
Primary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
No marine park permit required; Thevenard Island nature reserve rules on land
Nearest recompression chamber
Fiona Stanley Hospital (Perth) – evacuation via RFDS from Karratha
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Greg's Grotto →
A day-by-day plan for Pilbara & Dampier 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
Greg's Grotto is a reef boat dive in Pilbara & Dampier, WA, 10–14 m, suited to Open Water divers, moderate current, about 20 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of an overhead environment.
Why dive here
- Colourful caves and ledges with sharks.
- 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
- Cyclone season (roughly December–April)
- Stinger season without a full suit (November–May)
About Greg's Grotto
Greg's Grotto is a maze of ledges and caves covered in colourful corals, sponges and gorgonians at about 14 m, with abundant reef sharks and mackerel, per the Marine Life Network.
About the Mackerel Islands: the group of ten low islands off Onslow, including Thevenard and Direction islands, sits just north of the Ningaloo Coast and Exmouth Gulf. The Marine Life Network documents a dozen dive sites within easy reach of Thevenard, from shallow coral heads to ledges, caves and canyons at up to 20 m, and the resort notes whales, dolphins, groper, reef sharks, stingrays, wobbegongs, turtles and thick schools of trevally, snapper, fusiliers and batfish. With no resident operator and few visiting divers, the reefs are among the least dived in the region — ideal for self-sufficient divers with their own boat.
Planning notes: Open Water certification is recommended and the site is rated intermediate. Expect to spend most of the dive around 14 m, with a maximum of about 14 m. Access is by boat only, and site selection depends on wind, swell and tide on the day. Best season: April–October. Traffic: rarely dived (private boat/club only).
Getting there & entry
Maze of ledges and caves covered in corals, sponges and gorgonians at about 14 m in the Mackerel Islands.
Onslow is about 1,380 km north of Perth, 80 km off the North West Coastal Highway. The Mackerel Islands resort on Thevenard Island is reached by the resort's ferry or charter flight from Onslow (Beadon Creek), about 22 km offshore (roughly 45 minutes by boat). There is no dedicated dive operator on the islands: divers bring their own gear and boat or hire a boat, and scuba equipment can be pre-booked through Pilbara Dive and Tours in Karratha.
Most scuba sites (3–18 m) are close to Thevenard; the house reefs and pier are accessible from the beach.
Entry: Backward roll from private or hire boat
Facilities: Mackerel Islands resort on Thevenard Island: accommodation, snorkel gear hire, boat hire. No air fills – bring filled cylinders or arrange via Karratha.
Weather, swell & tides
The islands sit on the shallow Pilbara shelf between Exmouth Gulf and Barrow Island. Winter south-easterly and easterly trade winds and afternoon sea breezes make the open water choppy; mornings are calmest. Tides are moderate (around 2 m) but currents run around the reefs.
Visibility typically 5–15 m. Cyclone season November–April — the Onslow coast is highly cyclone-prone. Stingers possible in the warmer months.
Best season: April–October
How the dive is usually run
Descend to 14 m and explore the ledges and caves with a torch, then ascend.
Marine life
- Reef sharks →
- mackerel
- gorgonians
- sponges
- corals
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Within the 18 m limit of an entry-level certification.
Courses that help here
- Cavern Diver – An overhead environment.
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
Overhead sections; current; self-supported.
Dive centres that go here
No resident dive operator – divers bring their own gear and boat (boat hire available at the resort); scuba gear hire via Pilbara Dive and Tours, Karratha, with advance notice.
Operators recorded for Greg's Grotto
Pilbara Dive and Tours
Named by sitesKarratha · Pilbara & Dampier · WA
pilbaradiveandtours.com.au · 0410 890 077
Mackerel Islands resort
Named by sitesOnslow · Pilbara & Dampier · WA
Island resort (Thevenard Island) off Onslow; reservations office is in Cottesloe (1/589 Stirling Hwy), Onslow reception (08) 9184 6586.
mackerelislands.com.au · (08) 9184 6444
Other dive centres in Pilbara & Dampier
Lethal Adventures
Named by sitesKarratha · Pilbara & Dampier · WA
Dampier Archipelago boat tours/charters; postal address only (PO Box 20, Karratha WA 6714).
lethaladventures.au · 0418 906 963
Montebello Island Safaris
Named by sitesExmouth · Pilbara & Dampier · WA
Liveaboard fishing/dive charter out of Exmouth; postal address only (PO Box 388, Exmouth WA 6707).
montebello.com.au · 0419 091 670
General area
No position has been published for Greg's Grotto. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Onslow. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 60 km), from other documented sites near Onslow. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Greg's Grotto: frequently asked questions
How deep is Greg's Grotto?
Greg's Grotto reaches a maximum depth of 14 m, with the shallowest part at about 10 m; most of the dive is spent around 14 m.
What certification do I need to dive Greg's Grotto?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of an overhead environment.
Can I shore dive Greg's Grotto?
No, it is reached by boat (about 20 minutes).
When is the best time to dive Greg's Grotto?
April–October.
What marine life will I see at Greg's Grotto?
Regularly recorded: Reef sharks, mackerel, gorgonians, sponges, corals.
What wetsuit do I need at Greg's Grotto?
3 mm full suit.
How cold is the water at Greg's Grotto?
Typically 28-30 °C in summer and 21-23 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Greg's Grotto?
Overhead sections; current; self-supported. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Greg's Grotto?
Fiona Stanley Hospital (Perth) – evacuation via RFDS from Karratha. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Pilbara & Dampier
The Dampier Archipelago and the Montebello Islands have coral reefs, WWII and pearling wrecks and turtles in warm, tidal, often turbid water. Onslow is the launch point for the Mackerel Islands and the Montebellos, where the 1950s British nuclear test sites are now a marine park with excellent, remote diving.
Getting there: Fly to Karratha or Onslow; charters and liveaboards when available.
All Pilbara & Dampier dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Medium · Being verified: Location.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction





