Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)
Batemans Bay, New South Wales · near Lilli Pilli
| Depth | 2–12 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore |
| Entry | Walk-in from the pebble beach or beside the boat ramp |
| Current | None |
| Visibility | 5–12 m m |
| Water | summer 20–22 °C °C, winter 13–15 °C °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood most of the year (5 mm adequate Feb–Apr); semi-dry or drysuit and gloves Jul–Oct |
| Best season | Year round; best in westerly weather |
| Bottom time | 60 min |
| Position | -35.77200, 150.22800 (approximate) |
| Permit | Batemans Marine Park – check current zoning map |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)
Also known as Mosquito Bay
Sheltered, easy shore dive and snorkel with big black stingrays, opposite Black Rock.
Near Lilli Pilli · Batemans Bay, New South Wales
- Depth
- 2–12 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Shore
- Boat ride
- Shore entry
- Water
- 20–22 °C
- Visibility
- 5–12 m
Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)2–12 m · Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 2–12 m
- Typical depth
- 6 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Open Water (10–18 m)
- Access
- Shore
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- Yes
- Current
- None
- Visibility
- 5–12 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 20–22 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 13–15 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 60 min
- Dive traffic
- Moderate (occasional charters/club dives)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Yes
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood most of the year (5 mm adequate Feb–Apr); semi-dry or drysuit and gloves Jul–Oct
Location
Malua Bay – Rosedale · Batemans Bay – Eurobodalla
-35.77200, 150.22800
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: spiritdiversdotcomdotau.wordpress.comMarine park & permits
Batemans Marine Park – check current zoning map
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 Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli) →
A day-by-day plan for Batemans 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
Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli) is a shore / rock platform shore dive you can do independently in Batemans Bay, NSW, 2–12 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
- Sheltered, easy shore dive and snorkel with big black stingrays, opposite Black Rock.
- Snorkel-friendly, so non-diving companions can join at the surface.
Conditions to avoid
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
About Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)
Mosquito Bay is a small bay at Lilli Pilli on the southern shore of Batemans Bay, directly opposite Black Rock. It has a boat ramp and a pebble beach and is used both as a shore dive and as a novice snorkel site. Spirit Divers rated it Easy with a maximum depth of 12 m, describing a nice little site with lots of marine life and a rocky bottom, best in westerly winds, and reminding divers to watch for traffic from the ramp. The Nature Coast Marine Group lists it among its Batemans Marine Park snorkel sites, relatively sheltered from all but the strongest easterlies, with black rays, kelp-covered rocky ridges, fish life and urchins.
The reef consists of rocky ridges running out from shore, covered in kelp and crayweed, with sand between them. Black rays (smooth stingrays) are a highlight and often rest on the sand. Blue groper, luderick, sweep, leatherjackets, wrasse and bream are common, with octopus, cuttlefish, nudibranchs and sea urchins in the rocks. Weedy sea dragons are occasionally seen in the kelp.
The bay's shelter, easy entry and facilities make it a good choice for new divers and snorkellers, and it is also convenient: the ramp is the closest launching point for the Black Rock boat dives, so divers often do a shore dive here as well. The main hazard is boat traffic from the ramp, so use a dive flag, stay out of the ramp approach and avoid peak launching times. Toilets and a café are close by.
Getting there & entry
Small bay with a boat ramp at Lilli Pilli, south of Batemans Bay, opposite Black Rock; kelp-covered rocky ridges to about 12 m and a sheltered novice snorkel.
From Batemans Bay drive south on George Bass Drive through Batehaven to Lilli Pilli (about 8 km). Spirit Divers gave the entry near 381 George Bass Drive; the Nature Coast Marine Group notes the car park off George Bass Drive, north of Malua Bay. Park in the boat-ramp car park and enter from the pebble beach or beside the ramp, keeping well clear of launching boats.
There is a picnic table, toilets and a café nearby.
Entry: Walk-in from the pebble beach or beside the boat ramp
Facilities: Boat-ramp car park, toilets, picnic table and café nearby; air fills in Batemans Bay.
Weather, swell & tides
The Nature Coast Marine Group describes the bay as relatively sheltered from all but the strongest easterly winds, and Spirit Divers rated it best in westerlies. Strong easterly swell and north-easterly seas reduce visibility and make entry awkward. Heavy rain turns the water murky.
The boat ramp is busiest on summer mornings and weekends, so dive at quieter times.
Best season: Year round; best in westerly weather
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli) doesn't.
- Guerilla Bay · 6 km · Max 15 m
- Pretty Point · 3 km · Max 10 m
- Garden Bay (Malua Bay) · 3 km · Max 10 m
- Barlings Beach and Barlings Island · 7 km · Max 11 m
How the dive is usually run
Enter on the side away from the ramp, swim out to the kelp-covered rocky ridges and follow them seaward to about 10–12 m. Turn at half gas and return along a neighbouring ridge, surfacing well away from the ramp channel.
Marine life
- Smooth (black) stingrays
- blue groper →
- luderick
- sweep
- leatherjackets
- wrasse
- bream
- octopus →
- cuttlefish →
- nudibranchs →
- sea urchins
- weedy sea dragons (occasional) →
- kelp
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
- 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
Boat traffic from the ramp – use a dive flag and stay out of the channel. Murky after rain.
Dive centres that go here
Spirit Divers listed Mosquito Bay as an Easy guided shore dive (12 m, best in westerlies); the Nature Coast Marine Group lists it as a novice snorkel site. Beneath the Bay offers guided shore dives in the area.
Operators recorded for Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)
Other dive centres in Batemans 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
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views


Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli): frequently asked questions
How deep is Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli) reaches a maximum depth of 12 m, with the shallowest part at about 2 m; most of the dive is spent around 6 m.
What certification do I need to dive Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
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 Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
Yes. Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli) is a shore dive that can be done independently: walk-in from the pebble beach or beside the boat ramp.
When is the best time to dive Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
Year round; best in westerly weather.
What marine life will I see at Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
Regularly recorded: Smooth (black) stingrays, blue groper, luderick, sweep, leatherjackets, wrasse, bream, octopus, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, sea urchins, weedy sea dragons (occasional) and more.
What wetsuit do I need at Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
7 mm wetsuit with hood most of the year (5 mm adequate Feb–Apr); semi-dry or drysuit and gloves Jul–Oct.
How cold is the water at Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
Typically 20–22 °C in summer and 13–15 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
Boat traffic from the ramp – use a dive flag and stay out of the channel. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Mosquito Bay (Lilli Pilli)?
Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Batemans Bay
Batemans Bay sits at the centre of the Batemans Marine Park, with the Tollgate Islands just outside the bay and a run of headlands and islands to the south. The Tollgates have caves, grey nurse sharks and fur seals; Burrewarra Point and Broulee Island are shore-accessible reefs; Guerilla Bay and Maloneys Beach are sheltered beginner sites.
Getting there: Four hours south of Sydney or two from Canberra. Charters from Batemans Bay run the Tollgates and Montague Island on longer days; shore sites have beach or rock entries.
Sources
Data confidence: Medium · Being verified: Coordinates approximate.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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