The Newcastle Offshore Artificial Reef is a purpose-built fish habitat installed by NSW Fisheries (DPI) in August 2019, about 3.5 km north-east of the Swansea bar off Blacksmiths Beach. It consists of steel pinnacle reef towers in 28.5 m of water; DPI gives each structure a base of 7.8 by 10.9 m and a height of 6.4 m, with a central vertical tower extending to about 12 m above the seabed. Grey Nurse Charters lists the site as the Blacksmiths Beach Artificial Reef, with the central tower top at about 12 m of height, and Vizzbud records the top of the tower at 16 m and an average dive depth of 22 m.

Designed primarily for recreational fishing, the towers have become a worthwhile dive. Their internal volume, crevices and overhangs create shelter and deflect currents, and in a few years they have gathered a developing coat of encrusting growth. Vizzbud describes schools of yellowtail kingfish working the top of the structure, with snapper, silver trevally and mulloway around it, and tuna, tailor, bream, octopus and rays also recorded, along with a growing population of nudibranchs on the encrusting life.

The dive is simple in plan but demanding in conditions. Divers descend to the top of the tower and spiral down around it to the sand at 28 m, then spiral back up, making a free ascent in open water. Current can run hard on big tides and when the East Australian Current is running, so timing and skipper judgement matter.

The reef suits Advanced divers comfortable with open-water descents and ascents, and it is a good example of how quickly artificial structure attracts pelagic fish. It pairs well with Blacksmiths Shallows or Moon Island as a second dive.

Boats launch from the public ramps inside Swansea Channel, either at Black Neds Bay beside the Swansea Bridge or at the Swansea/Lake Macquarie ramps, about 25 km south of Newcastle via the Pacific Highway. Parking with trailer bays is available at Black Neds Bay. The run is east along the channel, across the Swansea bar (check the bar and tide first - cross on the flood where possible) and a short distance out to the site; the reef is 3.5 km north-east of the Swansea bar off Blacksmiths Beach, about 10-15 minutes.

NSW DPI publishes positions of 33°04.300'S 151°42.018'E and 33°04.380'S 151°41.891'E (WGS84). DPI advises drifting rather than anchoring on the towers to avoid fouling; dive boats usually drop a shot beside the structure or live-boat.

Moon Island and the reefs off Swansea Heads sit just outside the Swansea Channel bar, which is the deciding factor on most days: the bar is dangerous in any sizeable easterly or south-easterly swell and on a run-out tide, and Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie should be checked before crossing. Offshore, the sites prefer swell under about 1.5 m and light westerly or northerly winds; a strong nor'easter makes the eastern walls choppy, and a southerly swell pushes surge into the caves. Visibility runs 8-15 m and is best on a flooding tide, when clean ocean water replaces the lake outflow; after heavy rain the brown plume from Lake Macquarie can cover the inshore sites for days.

The towers are in open water, and Vizzbud notes current runs hard on big tides and when the East Australian Current is active, so plan for slack water or a quiet day.

Descend the shot to the top of the tower at about 16 m, then spiral down around the structure to the seabed at 28 m, looking into the internal spaces and overhangs from outside. Spiral back up, finishing on the tower top before a free ascent on an SMB with a safety stop.

Nitrox useful. Anchoring on the structure is discouraged by DPI - use a shot or live-boat.

Grey Nurse Charters (Swansea) runs boat dives to the Moon Island and Swansea offshore sites most weekends and on demand; Dive Newcastle and local clubs also dive the area from private boats launched at Swansea.