Point Puer is a low headland on the southern side of Port Arthur, directly opposite the Isle of the Dead, and it carries a heavy history: from 1834 to 1849 it was the site of a prison for convict boys, some as young as nine, who were separated from the adult convicts at the main settlement across the harbour. Today it is part of the Port Arthur Historic Site, and the waters around it offer a sheltered, easy dive when the ocean coasts are rough. The Marine Life Network guide describes Point Puer in 5-15 m with kelp gardens, a steep slope, caves and cliffs, and records crayfish and abalone.

The reef slopes quite steeply from the shore and is covered in kelp and brown algae, with small caves and crevices along the base of the cliffs where rock lobster shelter. Wrasse, leatherjackets, magpie morwong and bastard trumpeter are common, weedy seadragons and seahorses can be found in the weed, and rays forage on the sand. Water clarity is lower than on the Tasman Sea coast, particularly after rain when tannin-stained runoff enters the harbour, but the shelter makes it one of the most reliable dives on the peninsula.

The Isle of the Dead, the settlement's cemetery with more than a thousand burials, lies a few hundred metres away; its shores are part of the historic site and should be respected. Divers must not remove any artefacts, bricks or other material from the seabed around the historic site. Point Puer suits Open Water divers and makes a good second dive or a sheltered alternative when Go Dive Tasmania launches from Port Arthur.

Combine the dive with a visit to the historic site, including the Point Puer and Isle of the Dead tours, to understand what you are looking at from the water.

Boat access. Drive from Hobart via the Arthur Highway to Port Arthur (about 95 km, 1 hour 30 minutes). Launch at the Carnarvon Bay boat ramp off Safety Cove Road, just south of the historic site, and run north-east across the harbour to Point Puer, about 5 minutes.

Go Dive Tasmania launches its boat days from Port Arthur when the east coast is rough. Point Puer itself is part of the Port Arthur Historic Site; landing and access on foot are through the site and subject to its rules, so dive from a boat and do not land on the point without permission.

Port Arthur and Carnarvon Bay are sheltered from the east and from most westerly winds, which is why operators such as Go Dive Tasmania launch here when the Eaglehawk Neck coast is blown out. The harbour entrance faces south into Storm Bay, so large southerly and south-westerly groundswell rolls in and brings surge and poor visibility to the outer sites; the inner harbour stays calmer. Strong southerly changes arrive quickly.

Heavy rain washes tannin-stained runoff into the inner harbour. Best conditions follow several days of northerly or light westerly weather; late summer and autumn are the most reliable.

Anchor off the point in sand, descend the kelp-covered slope to 12-15 m, then work along the base of the cliffs, checking the small caves for crayfish. Return up the slope through the kelp for the safety stop.

Go Dive Tasmania – uses Port Arthur-side sites when launching from Port Arthur in easterly weather; Eaglehawk Dive Centre – occasional sheltered alternative; private boats from Carnarvon Bay.