Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Inner Point Perpendicular
Jervis Bay, New South Wales · near Huskisson
| Depth | 5–32 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Deep/Advanced + experience |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Back roll from boat; drift on an incoming tide |
| Current | Variable/Tidal |
| Visibility | 10-20 m |
| Water | summer 19-23 °C, winter 15-17 °C |
| Suit | 5–7 mm wetsuit with hood in summer–autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit June–October |
| Best season | Year-round; especially good in north-easterlies |
| Bottom time | 45 min |
| Position | -35.09300, 150.79300 (approximate) |
| Permit | Jervis Bay Marine Park (NSW) – check the zoning map: sanctuary zones (no take of any kind) cover much of the Beecroft Peninsula coast including Drum and Drumsticks, The Docks area and Bowen Island; special grey nurse shark rules apply. No permit needed for recreational diving. Beecroft Peninsula is the Department of Defence Beecroft Weapons Range. Road access to Point Perpendicular, Honeymoon Bay, Long Beach and the peninsula's bays is only when the range is open to the public (generally Friday afternoon to Sunday and NSW school/public holidays – confirm with Range Control on 02 4448 3411 or the range Facebook page), and sea areas off the peninsula can be closed during live firing; check Notices to Mariners and range notices before a boat trip. |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) – approx. 3 h by road from Jervis Bay; call 000 and DAN Asia-Pacific hotline (evacuation usually by air) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Inner Point Perpendicular
Also known as Inside Point Perpendicular, Pyramid Rock (inner), Fish Rock (Jervis Bay)
Sheltered multilevel reef with shallow caves under the cliffs at the corner of Point Perpendicular; a gentle drift on the flood tide.
Near Huskisson · Jervis Bay, New South Wales
- Depth
- 5–32 m
- Minimum level
- Deep/Advanced + experience
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~18 min
- Water
- 19-23 °C
- Visibility
- 10-20 m
Inner Point Perpendicular5–32 m · Deep/Advanced + experience
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 5–32 m
- Typical depth
- 18 m
- Certification
- Deep/Advanced + experience
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Deep / Advanced + experience (30–40 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 0.05 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~18 min
- Current
- Variable/Tidal
- Visibility
- 10-20 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 19-23 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 15-17 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 45 min
- Dive traffic
- Popular (weekly charters)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
5–7 mm wetsuit with hood in summer–autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit June–October
Location
Jervis Bay – northern shore (Beecroft Peninsula) · Shoalhaven – Jervis Bay
-35.09300, 150.79300
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: michaelmcfadyenscuba.infoMarine park & permits
Jervis Bay Marine Park (NSW) – check the zoning map: sanctuary zones (no take of any kind) cover much of the Beecroft Peninsula coast including Drum and Drumsticks, The Docks area and Bowen Island; special grey nurse shark rules apply. No permit needed for recreational diving. Beecroft Peninsula is the Department of Defence Beecroft Weapons Range. Road access to Point Perpendicular, Honeymoon Bay, Long Beach and the peninsula's bays is only when the range is open to the public (generally Friday afternoon to Sunday and NSW school/public holidays – confirm with Range Control on 02 4448 3411 or the range Facebook page), and sea areas off the peninsula can be closed during live firing; check Notices to Mariners and range notices before a boat trip.
Nearest recompression chamber
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) – approx. 3 h by road from Jervis Bay; call 000 and DAN Asia-Pacific hotline (evacuation usually by air)
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Inner Point Perpendicular →
A day-by-day plan for Jervis Bay 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
Inner Point Perpendicular is a reef boat dive in Jervis Bay, NSW, 5–32 m, suited to Deep/Advanced + experience divers, variable/tidal current, about 18 minutes by boat.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note depth to 32 m and tidal current that must be timed and an overhead environment and boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Why dive here
- Sheltered multilevel reef with shallow caves under the cliffs at the corner of Point Perpendicular; a gentle drift on the flood tide.
- Visibility often reaches 10-20 m.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Strong westerlies
About Inner Point Perpendicular
Inner Point Perpendicular is the protected, inside face of the great northern headland of Jervis Bay, at the point where the cliffs turn north at right angles. A large pyramid-shaped rock marks the spot, which is why it is also known as Pyramid Rock (not to be confused with the Pyramid Rock on Bowen Island) and as Fish Rock.
The dive runs from sand at 32 m, where a prominent reef and some small rocks begin, up the reef face through 20–25 m and into the shallows at 5 m against the cliff. The cliff is undercut by a number of caves, one of which extends back a considerable distance to the east about 50 m inside the corner. Yellowtail, silver sweep, one-spot pullers and girdled parma are the common fish, and at times quite large schools gather around the pyramid. The reef supports the sponges and encrusting growth typical of the bay entrance.
McFadyen rates it as suitable for all experience levels: the depth can be tailored to the group, the caves are in the shallows, and it is especially good in north-easterly winds when the outer sites are rough. On an incoming tide the site becomes a gentle drift dive along the reef. It is commonly used as a second dive after one of the deeper outer sites such as The Arch or the Point Perpendicular Sponge Gardens, which lie just around the corner. Divers should keep an eye on boat traffic entering and leaving the bay close to the headland.
Getting there & entry
Reef and caves at the western end of Point Perpendicular where the headland turns north at right angles inside the bay, marked by a large pyramid-shaped rock; sand at 32 m.
Charters depart Huskisson (Dive Jervis Bay; boats in Currambene Creek), and private boats launch at Huskisson, Callala Bay or Murrays Beach. Cross the bay north-east towards the Beecroft Peninsula shore; run to the corner where Point Perpendicular turns north at right angles, identifiable by a large pyramid-shaped rock on the shoreline (about 15–20 minutes from Huskisson). Anchor on the reef or run it as a drift on an incoming tide.
Entry: Back roll from boat; drift on an incoming tide
Facilities: Departure from Huskisson: Dive Jervis Bay shop (air, nitrox, hire), cafés and parking; Huskisson, Callala and Murrays ramps.
Weather, swell & tides
The northern shore of Jervis Bay is sheltered from all ocean swell except a large south-easterly rolling in through the entrance, and it is protected from northerly and north-easterly winds by the Beecroft Peninsula, which makes it the standard summer venue when afternoon nor'easters roughen the outer coast. Strong southerly and south-westerly winds blow across the bay and make the northern shore choppy and the crossing from Huskisson wet. Visibility varies considerably with sea state and rainfall – typically 8–20 m.
Tidal currents are weak except near Point Perpendicular and the entrance. This site is especially good in north-easterly winds and as a second dive; an incoming tide produces a gentle drift along the reef.
Best season: Year-round; especially good in north-easterlies
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Inner Point Perpendicular doesn't.
- Murrays Beach · 5 km · Max 12 m
- Scottish Rocks · 7 km · Depth not published
- Hyams Beach · 9 km · Max 10 m
- Scallop Beds · 4 km · Max 12 m
How the dive is usually run
Descend to the sand at 32 m and head south along the reef, then turn east and ascend gradually to 20 m while heading north-east. Finish at 5 m near the cliff face exploring the caves, including one that runs back a long way to the east about 50 m inside the corner. On an incoming tide, let the current carry you along the reef.
Marine life
- Yellowtail
- silver sweep
- one-spot pullers
- girdled parma
- leatherjackets
- wobbegongs →
- sponges
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
The recreational limit. Operators expect a Deep Diver specialty or Advanced plus a log of similar dives, and most recommend nitrox.
Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 18 m); the full site to 32 m needs Deep/Advanced + experience. Operators often quote Open Water. This is a deep dive: plan gas, bottom time and a safety stop accordingly, and consider nitrox.
Operators' own listing: Open Water.
Courses that help here
- Enriched Air Nitrox – Longer no-decompression time at 25 m and deeper.
- Deep Diver – The site reaches 32 m.
- Cavern Diver – An overhead environment.
- Drift Diver – Current is a feature of the dive.
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
Tidal current near the bay entrance; boat traffic close to the headland; overhead caves – torch; depth to 32 m.
Dive centres that go here
Dive Jervis Bay (Huskisson; boats Avalon and Genesis) runs double boat dives most days, and Deep 6 Diving Jervis Bay / other Huskisson operators also visit; site chosen on the day according to swell and wind.
Operators recorded for Inner Point Perpendicular
Dive Jervis Bay
ProfiledHuskisson · Jervis Bay · NSW
A Huskisson operation with two dive boats and on-site accommodation, diving the walls, sponge gardens and seal sites of Jervis Bay Marine Park.
(02) 4441 5255
Deep 6 Diving Jervis Bay
Reported closedHuskisson · Jervis Bay · NSW
Former domain deep6divingjervisbay.com.au now serves unrelated SEO content; only stale directory listings remain.
Other dive centres in Jervis Bay
Indepth Scuba
ProfiledBelconnen · Jervis Bay · NSW
A Canberra operation that functions as both a training school and a life-support service facility, with cylinder testing and a full range of gas fills.
indepthscuba.com.au · (02) 6251 1070
Lady of the Sea Diving Academy
ProfiledTuggeranong (Canberra, ACT) · Jervis Bay · NSW
A Canberra operation with an unusually complete set of facilities for an inland centre, including an onsite pool, classroom, retail shop and dive boat.
ladyofthesea.com.au · +61 407 487 735
Crest Diving
Named by sitesJervis Bay · Jervis Bay · NSW
Escorted shore dive tours; no shopfront address published.
crestdiving.com.au · 0414 787 281
Woebegone Freedive
Named by sitesHuskisson · Jervis Bay · NSW
Freediving school; official site live (Unit 3/1 Erina Rd Huskisson) with online bookings and a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2026 award.
woebegone.com.au
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views


Inner Point Perpendicular: frequently asked questions
How deep is Inner Point Perpendicular?
Inner Point Perpendicular reaches a maximum depth of 32 m, with the shallowest part at about 5 m; most of the dive is spent around 18 m.
What certification do I need to dive Inner Point Perpendicular?
Deep/Advanced + experience is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 18 m); the full site to 32 m needs Deep/Advanced + experience. Operators often quote Open Water. This is a deep dive: plan gas, bottom time and a safety stop accordingly, and consider nitrox. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note depth to 32 m and tidal current that must be timed and an overhead environment and boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Can I shore dive Inner Point Perpendicular?
No, it is reached by boat (about 18 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Inner Point Perpendicular?
Year-round; especially good in north-easterlies.
What marine life will I see at Inner Point Perpendicular?
Regularly recorded: Yellowtail, silver sweep, one-spot pullers, girdled parma, leatherjackets, wobbegongs, sponges.
What wetsuit do I need at Inner Point Perpendicular?
5–7 mm wetsuit with hood in summer–autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit June–October.
How cold is the water at Inner Point Perpendicular?
Typically 19-23 °C in summer and 15-17 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Inner Point Perpendicular?
Tidal current near the bay entrance; boat traffic close to the headland; overhead caves – torch; depth to 32 m. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Inner Point Perpendicular?
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) – approx. 3 h by road from Jervis Bay; call 000 and DAN Asia-Pacific hotline (evacuation usually by air). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay's white sand and clear water make it the best-known dive destination on the NSW south coast. The Docks, Stoney Creek and the Arch on the northern headland, and Cabbage Tree Point on the south, are boat dives with sponge gardens, grey nurse sharks in season and fur seals from Drum and Drumsticks. Inside the bay, Hyams Beach, Murrays Beach and the Green Patch reefs are gentle shore dives with seadragons and octopus.
Getting there: Two and a half hours south of Sydney. Dive shops in Huskisson run daily charters; shore dives inside the bay have car parks at Hyams, Murrays and Green Patch (Booderee National Park entry fee applies).
Sources
Data confidence: High. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
More reef dives in New South Wales
Explore more








