Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Lennards Island
Eden & Green Cape, New South Wales · near Eden
| Depth | 5–25 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Shore or Boat |
| Entry | Walk-in from Terrace Beach or rocks; or giant stride from boat |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 8–20 m m |
| Water | summer 17–20 °C °C, winter 12–14 °C °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves, or drysuit, for most of the year; 5 mm only in late summer |
| Best season | Settled summer and autumn weather |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | None required – no marine park; Beowa National Park onshore |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Lennards Island
Also known as Terrace Beach and Lennards Island
Remote, 4WD-access island with sheltered shallow boulders and deeper sponge gardens.
Near Eden · Eden & Green Cape, New South Wales
- Depth
- 5–25 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 17–20 °C
- Visibility
- 8–20 m
Lennards Island5–25 m · Advanced Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, May, December.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 5–25 m
- Typical depth
- 10 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- Possible (experienced only)
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 8–20 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 17–20 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 12–14 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves, or drysuit, for most of the year; 5 mm only in late summer
Location
Beowa National Park north (Pambula–Haycock) · Eden – Twofold Bay & Green Cape
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Eden.
Primary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
None required – no marine park; Beowa National Park onshore
Nearest recompression chamber
Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney)
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Lennards Island →
A day-by-day plan for Eden & Green Cape 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
Lennards Island is a island shore dive for experienced divers in Eden & Green Cape, NSW, 5–25 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers.
Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m, cold water.
Why dive here
- Remote, 4WD-access island with sheltered shallow boulders and deeper sponge gardens.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
- Visibility often reaches 8–20 m.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
About Lennards Island
Lennards Island is a small island off Terrace Beach in the northern part of Beowa National Park (formerly Ben Boyd), between Pambula and Eden. The Marine Life Network lists it as a sheltered shore and boat dive with a boulder bottom and small ledges at 5–10 m and sponge gardens deeper, to 25 m, with access by vehicular tracks through the national park. NPWS describes the Terrace Beach and Lennards Island area as remote and wild, a 4WD getaway with great fishing and coastal views, and notes Australian fur seals in the area.
The shallow boulder bottom has kelp and small ledges sheltering blue groper, luderick, sweep, leatherjackets, wrasse and eastern blue devilfish, with wobbegongs and Port Jackson sharks. Deeper, the sponge gardens have the colourful growth typical of the Sapphire Coast – sponges, sea squirts, gorgonians and ascidians – with schools of yellowtail and bullseyes. Seals from nearby haul-outs may visit, and dolphins and whales pass offshore.
The remoteness is part of the appeal: few divers make the effort, so the reef is undisturbed. It suits self-sufficient divers with a 4WD and experience of shore diving without facilities. Check NPWS alerts for track closures before going, and carry full safety equipment. The Marine Life Network summary is the only dive-specific source, so depths and layout are indicative, and no coordinates are given. The Yuin people are the Traditional Owners, and the area has some of the best preserved middens on the east coast. Allow a full day for the trip.
Getting there & entry
Small island off Terrace Beach in the northern (Pambula–Haycock) section of Beowa National Park, reached by 4WD track; sheltered shore diving over boulders and sponge gardens from 5–10 m to 25 m.
The Marine Life Network notes access by vehicular tracks through Beowa (Ben Boyd) National Park; NPWS describes Terrace Beach and Lennards Island as a remote, wild 4WD getaway in the Pambula–Haycock area. Take the Princes Highway south of Pambula, turn onto Haycock Road and follow the park's 4WD tracks (check NPWS alerts and track conditions) to the Terrace Beach area. Walk from the car to the beach and enter towards the island.
By boat, it is reachable from Eden or Pambula in calm weather.
Entry: Walk-in from Terrace Beach or rocks; or giant stride from boat
Facilities: None at the site; nearest services Pambula and Eden.
Weather, swell & tides
The Marine Life Network describes the site as sheltered shore diving, which suggests protection from the prevailing southerly swell, but the coast is still exposed to easterly and north-easterly swell. Dive only with swell under about 1 m. The 4WD tracks can be closed or rough after rain.
Visibility falls after heavy rain from the Pambula River.
Best season: Settled summer and autumn weather
How the dive is usually run
Enter from the sheltered side, swim towards the island and explore the boulder bottom and small ledges at 5–10 m, then, if experienced, drop to the deeper sponge gardens towards 20–25 m before returning shallower to the beach.
Marine life
- Blue groper →
- luderick
- sweep
- leatherjackets
- wrasse
- eastern blue devilfish →
- wobbegongs →
- Port Jackson sharks →
- sponges
- sea squirts
- gorgonians
- yellowtail
- bullseyes
- fur seals →
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 10 m); the full site to 25 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water.
Operators' own listing: Open Water.
Courses that help here
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
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
Remote with no facilities; 4WD tracks; rock entries. Swell from the east. Check NPWS alerts.
Dive centres that go here
Listed by the Marine Life Network as a shore and boat dive; no scheduled operator trips. Visited by 4WD-equipped independent divers.
Operators recorded for Lennards Island
Dive Eden
ProfiledEden · Merimbula · NSW
An Eden operator running boat, wreck, wharf and cave dives around Twofold Bay, with Try Scuba to Advanced courses and studio accommodation near Cocora Beach.
diveeden.com.au · 0410 026 990
Merimbula Divers Lodge
Reported closedMerimbula · Merimbula · NSW
An SSI dive centre with its own accommodation, classroom, shop, air and Nitrox and a purpose-built boat, running small classes on the far south coast.
Other dive centres in Eden & Green Cape
Sapphire Coast Scuba
ProfiledEden · Merimbula · NSW
An Eden-based operation offering PADI Open Water training, guided dives for certified divers, equipment hire and air fills.
sapphirecoastscuba.com · 0488 519 316
Wilderness Sea n' Ski
ListedLiverpool · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
A far south coast business providing equipment and dive services. Range and training availability require verification.
wilderness.net.au · (02) 9822 4112
General area
No position has been published for Lennards Island. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Eden. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 16 km), from other documented sites near Eden. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Lennards Island: frequently asked questions
How deep is Lennards Island?
Lennards Island reaches a maximum depth of 25 m, with the shallowest part at about 5 m; most of the dive is spent around 10 m.
What certification do I need to dive Lennards Island?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 10 m); the full site to 25 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water. Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m, cold water.
Can I shore dive Lennards Island?
Experienced divers do dive Lennards Island from the shore, but the entry or conditions make it unsuitable for newer divers without local guidance. Entry: Walk-in from Terrace Beach or rocks; or giant stride from boat.
When is the best time to dive Lennards Island?
Settled summer and autumn weather.
What marine life will I see at Lennards Island?
Regularly recorded: Blue groper, luderick, sweep, leatherjackets, wrasse, eastern blue devilfish, wobbegongs, Port Jackson sharks, sponges, sea squirts, gorgonians, yellowtail and more.
What wetsuit do I need at Lennards Island?
7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves, or drysuit, for most of the year; 5 mm only in late summer.
How cold is the water at Lennards Island?
Typically 17–20 °C in summer and 12–14 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Lennards Island?
Remote with no facilities; 4WD tracks; rock entries. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Lennards Island?
Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Eden & Green Cape
The far south coast around Eden is cold, clear and rarely crowded. Twofold Bay has the SS Empire Gladstone and the Tasman Hauler wrecks in shallow water, the Pinnacles at Merimbula sit just to the north, and Green Cape, at the southern tip of the state, has the Ly-ee-Moon wreck, seals and some of the best visibility in NSW.
Getting there: Six hours from Sydney or Melbourne. Eden has a dive shop with a charter boat; several Twofold Bay sites are shore dives from the Quarantine Bay and Cocora Beach car parks.
All Eden & Green Cape dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
- marinelife.org.au/?page_id=1675
- nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/swimming-spots/terrace-beach-and-lennards-island/learn-more
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Single dive source; no coordinates; 4WD access details need checking.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
More island dives in New South Wales
Explore more
This region
Marine life











