Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Narrawallee Beach and Inlet
Ulladulla, New South Wales · near Narrawallee
| Depth | 1–8 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Snorkel/Any |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore |
| Entry | Walk-in from the beach or inlet shore |
| Current | Variable/Tidal |
| Visibility | 2–8 m m |
| Water | summer 19–22 °C °C, winter 13–16 °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 | Summer and autumn in calm conditions |
| Bottom time | 45 min |
| Position | -35.31000, 150.47800 (approximate) |
| Permit | None required – not in a NSW marine park |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Narrawallee Beach and Inlet
Also known as Narrawallee, Narrawallee Inlet
Easy snorkelling in a small inlet mouth and around shallow rocks north of Mollymook.
Near Narrawallee · Ulladulla, New South Wales
- Depth
- 1–8 m
- Minimum level
- Snorkel/Any
- Access
- Shore
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 19–22 °C
- Visibility
- 2–8 m
Narrawallee Beach and Inlet1–8 m · Snorkel/Any · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, May, December.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 1–8 m
- Typical depth
- 4 m
- Certification
- Snorkel/Any
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Shore
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- Possible (experienced only)
- Current
- Variable/Tidal
- Visibility
- 2–8 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 19–22 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 13–16 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 45 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- 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
Mollymook – Narrawallee · Ulladulla – Mollymook & Bawley Point
-35.31000, 150.47800
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
None required – not in a NSW marine park
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 Narrawallee Beach and Inlet →
A day-by-day plan for Ulladulla 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
Narrawallee Beach and Inlet is a shore / rock platform shore dive for experienced divers in Ulladulla, NSW, 1–8 m, suitable for snorkellers and first-time divers, variable/tidal current.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note tidal current that must be timed and cold water.
Why dive here
- Easy snorkelling in a small inlet mouth and around shallow rocks north of Mollymook.
- 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
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
About Narrawallee Beach and Inlet
Narrawallee is a quiet beach village just north of Mollymook, with a small inlet that opens to the sea at the northern end of the beach. Expect a snorkelling and easy shore dive rather than a significant scuba site.
The inlet mouth has sand banks, seagrass and weed beds where tidal flow brings in clearer ocean water on the flood. Around the rocks at the ends of the beach there is shallow reef with kelp and crayweed. The fish are those of NSW estuary mouths and shallow reefs: bream, luderick, whiting and flathead on the sand, leatherjackets, sweep and small wrasse around the rocks, and stingrays and fiddler rays in the shallows. Octopus and small cuttlefish are sometimes seen. Weedy sea dragons occur on shallow kelp reefs along this coast, but no records specific to Narrawallee were found.
The site suits snorkellers and new divers who want an easy swim, and it is a family-friendly beach. It is exposed to swell and affected by tides and rain, so conditions need to be right. For a proper ocean dive nearby, the Ulladulla boat sites and the Bannister Head shore dive are better documented options, and the local shop can advise on current conditions.
Getting there & entry
Beach, inlet and small rocky reefs at Narrawallee, 4 km north of Ulladulla; sheltered snorkelling in the inlet mouth and shallow reef off the northern end of Mollymook.
From Ulladulla drive north through Mollymook on Mitchell Parade or take the Princes Highway north and turn right into Matron Porter Drive to Narrawallee. Park at the Narrawallee Beach reserve or near the inlet off Victor Avenue. It is a short walk across sand to the water.
Enter from the beach in the lee of the headland on small swell days, or snorkel the inlet mouth around the top of the tide.
Entry: Walk-in from the beach or inlet shore
Facilities: Parking and picnic area at the beach reserve; toilets nearby; shops at Mollymook and Ulladulla.
Weather, swell & tides
The beach faces east and takes most swell; only dive or snorkel on days with less than about 1 m of swell. The inlet has tidal flow, strongest on the run-out, and water clarity is best near the top of an incoming tide after dry weather. After heavy rain the inlet runs brown and visibility is very poor.
North-easterly afternoon winds make the beach choppy in summer.
Best season: Summer and autumn in calm conditions
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Narrawallee Beach and Inlet doesn't.
- Ulladulla Harbour · 5 km · Max 8 m
- Dolphin Point · 11 km · Max 12 m
- Hive Wreck Site · 21 km · Max 2 m
- Bawley Point · 24 km · Max 13 m
How the dive is usually run
Snorkel or dive the inlet mouth around high slack tide, drifting gently in on the flood over sand and weed. On calm ocean days, enter at the headland end of the beach and follow the rocky reef edge at 4–8 m, turning at half gas.
Marine life
- Bream
- luderick
- whiting
- flathead
- leatherjackets
- sweep
- wrasse
- stingrays
- fiddler rays
- octopus →
- seagrass and kelp
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
Tidal flow in the inlet, especially on the ebb. Swell and rips on the open beach. Very poor visibility after rain.
Boat and paddle traffic in the inlet.
Dive centres that go here
No operator lists Narrawallee as a scheduled site; divers and snorkellers visit independently. Dive Adventures Ulladulla is the nearest shop for hire and advice.
Operators recorded for Narrawallee Beach and Inlet
Other dive centres in Ulladulla
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views


Narrawallee Beach and Inlet: frequently asked questions
How deep is Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
Narrawallee Beach and Inlet reaches a maximum depth of 8 m, with the shallowest part at about 1 m; most of the dive is spent around 4 m.
What certification do I need to dive Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
No certification is needed to snorkel it, and it suits introductory dives. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note tidal current that must be timed and cold water.
Can I shore dive Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
Experienced divers do dive Narrawallee Beach and Inlet from the shore, but the entry or conditions make it unsuitable for newer divers without local guidance. Entry: Walk-in from the beach or inlet shore.
When is the best time to dive Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
Summer and autumn in calm conditions.
What marine life will I see at Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
Regularly recorded: Bream, luderick, whiting, flathead, leatherjackets, sweep, wrasse, stingrays, fiddler rays, octopus, seagrass and kelp.
What wetsuit do I need at Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
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 Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
Typically 19–22 °C in summer and 13–16 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
Tidal flow in the inlet, especially on the ebb. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Narrawallee Beach and Inlet?
Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Ulladulla
Ulladulla is the quiet middle of the south coast, with the Lighthouse Reef and the Bommie off Warden Head, the Burrill Rocks, and a series of gutters and caves that hold grey nurse sharks and eastern blue devils. It is dived mainly by locals and Canberra clubs.
Getting there: Three hours south of Sydney. A local dive shop runs charters from the harbour; the Ulladulla harbour breakwall is a sheltered shore dive.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: No dive-directory source; content based on regional geography. Confirm usefulness as a dive site.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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