Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Marion Bay Jetty
Yorke Peninsula, South Australia · near Marion Bay
| Depth | 1–5 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore |
| Entry | Steps from the jetty or walk in from the beach |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-12 m |
| Water | summer 20-24 °C, winter 12-14 °C |
| Suit | 5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter |
| Best season | Year-round on calm days; a fallback when Innes sites are blown out |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | -35.23800, 136.98500 (approximate) |
| Permit | None required |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Marion Bay Jetty
A sheltered township jetty to fall back on when swell closes the Innes sites – lightly documented.
Near Marion Bay · Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
- Depth
- 1–5 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Shore
- Boat ride
- Shore entry
- Water
- 20-24 °C
- Visibility
- 5-12 m
Marion Bay Jetty1–5 m · Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Year-round on calm days; a fallback when Innes sites are blown out
- Best months
- Now (November)
Dive facts
- Depth
- 1–5 m
- Typical depth
- 3 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Shore
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- Yes
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-12 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 20-24 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 12-14 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Yes
Exposure suit
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter
Location
Marion Bay · Yorke Peninsula – Innes National Park / Southern Tip
-35.23800, 136.98500
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: thediveshack.com.auMarine park & permits
None required
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide)
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Marion Bay Jetty →
A day-by-day plan for Yorke Peninsula 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
Marion Bay Jetty is a jetty / pier shore dive you can do independently in Yorke Peninsula, SA, 1–5 m, suited to Open Water divers.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Why dive here
- A sheltered township jetty to fall back on when swell closes the Innes sites – lightly documented.
- Snorkel-friendly, so non-diving companions can join at the surface.
- 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
- Strong westerlies
About Marion Bay Jetty
Marion Bay is the gateway township to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park and the launch point for most Innes and Althorpe boat dives. Its small jetty is included here because the regional brief names it, but it is not documented in the SDFSA, Dive Shack or Marine Life Society site lists, so its value as a dive is uncertain. Shallow jetties on this coast typically support encrusting sponges, ascidians and algae on the piles, with small fish (magpie perch, leatherjackets, zebrafish), crabs, nudibranchs and the chance of seahorses or pipefish, and southern calamari at night.
The bay floor is sand and seagrass. The jetty's main practical use for divers is as a sheltered fallback or night dive when the exposed Innes sites are unworkable, or as a quick shore dive for those staying in town. The Stenhouse Bay jetty, 5 km away inside the park, is the far better-known and richer jetty dive.
Recorded here with low data confidence; divers should check it themselves before planning around it. For visiting divers the township's real value is logistical: it has the nearest boat ramp, fuel, accommodation and supplies for the whole Innes and Althorpe dive area, and many Adelaide groups base themselves in the caravan park or holiday homes here for a weekend of boat diving. There is no dive shop or air fill in Marion Bay, so bring enough cylinders or a compressor.
Getting there & entry
Small jetty at the Marion Bay township on the sheltered north-east-facing shore of Marion Bay, just outside Innes National Park.
From Adelaide drive about 300 km (3.5 hours) via Minlaton and Warooka to Marion Bay. The jetty is on the foreshore in the township near the boat ramp; park close by and carry gear a short distance. Enter via the jetty steps or from the beach beside it.
The town has no dive shop or air fills, so bring full cylinders; the nearest fills are at Edithburgh (about an hour's drive) or Adelaide.
Entry: Steps from the jetty or walk in from the beach
Facilities: Parking, toilets, general store, caravan park and pub in Marion Bay.
Weather, swell & tides
Marion Bay faces south-east, so it is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly swell that closes the Innes sites but exposed to south-easterly winds and swell, which bring chop and poor visibility. Northerly and westerly winds give the best conditions. As a shallow jetty, it is best at mid to high tide.
Best season: Year-round on calm days; a fallback when Innes sites are blown out
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Marion Bay Jetty doesn't.
- SS Willyama Wreck · 2 km · Max 12 m
- Stenhouse Bay Jetty · 6 km · Max 10 m
- Hougomont Wreck · 6 km · Max 10 m
- SS Marion Wreck · 8 km · Max 12 m
How the dive is usually run
Enter from the steps, swim out along the piles to the end at 4-5 m searching for macro life, and return along the other side.
Marine life
- Expected: sponges and ascidians on piles
- magpie perch
- leatherjackets
- zebrafish
- crabs
- nudibranchs →
- southern calamari
- seagrass fauna
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Shallow enough for snorkellers and for a first dive under supervision. Any certified diver can dive it.
Courses that help here
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
- Peak Performance Buoyancy – Silt and low visibility punish poor trim.
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
Fishing line; boat traffic from the nearby ramp; shallow at low tide; south-easterly chop.
Dive centres that go here
No operator; occasionally snorkelled or dived by visitors staying at Marion Bay, especially as a night dive or when swell closes Innes sites.
Other dive centres in Yorke Peninsula
Adelaide Scuba
ListedGlenelg North · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide business providing training, equipment and local diving support, located near Glenelg.
adelaidescuba.com.au · (08) 8294 7744
Diving Adelaide
ListedMarleston · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide training and guided diving operation serving local sites and organised trips.
divingadelaide.com.au · (08) 8122 5003
The Dive Shack
ListedGlenelg · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide business combining retail, servicing and training for South Australian divers.
thediveshack.com.au
All dive centres in South Australia →
Operators mentioned: None
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Marion Bay Jetty: frequently asked questions
How deep is Marion Bay Jetty?
Marion Bay Jetty reaches a maximum depth of 5 m, with the shallowest part at about 1 m; most of the dive is spent around 3 m.
What certification do I need to dive Marion Bay Jetty?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Can I shore dive Marion Bay Jetty?
Yes. Marion Bay Jetty is a shore dive that can be done independently: steps from the jetty or walk in from the beach.
When is the best time to dive Marion Bay Jetty?
Year-round on calm days; a fallback when Innes sites are blown out.
What marine life will I see at Marion Bay Jetty?
Regularly recorded: Expected: sponges and ascidians on piles, magpie perch, leatherjackets, zebrafish, crabs, nudibranchs, southern calamari, seagrass fauna.
What wetsuit do I need at Marion Bay Jetty?
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter.
How cold is the water at Marion Bay Jetty?
Typically 20-24 °C in summer and 12-14 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Marion Bay Jetty?
Fishing line; boat traffic from the nearby ramp; shallow at low tide; south-easterly chop. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Marion Bay Jetty?
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is jetty country. Edithburgh, Port Hughes, Wool Bay, Stenhouse Bay and Port Victoria have some of the richest macro diving in Australia under their pylons: blue devils, pyjama squid, seahorses, tasselled anglerfish, leafy seadragons and carpets of sponges in 5–12 m. Marion Bay and Innes National Park at the southern tip add wrecks, sea lions and clearer open-coast water.
Getting there: Two to four hours west of Adelaide. All the jetties are walk-in shore dives with ladders or beach entries; Innes National Park sites need a park pass.
Sources
- thediveshack.com.au/dive-sites/local-dive-sites-yorke-peninsula
- visityorkepeninsula.com.au/places-to-dive-and-snorkel
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Existence/condition of a diveable jetty and depth to confirm; coordinates approximate.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
More shore dives in South Australia
Explore more
This region
Similar dives
Marine life