Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
Point Stephens Lighthouse reef
Port Stephens, New South Wales · near Nelson Bay
| Depth | 10–25 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Giant stride from charter boat onto a mooring off the point |
| Current | Moderate |
| Visibility | 8-20 m |
| Water | summer 22-25 °C, winter 17-20 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter |
| Best season | Calm, settled weather windows |
| Bottom time | 30 min |
| Position | -32.73500, 152.20500 (approximate) |
| Permit | None required |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) — John Hunter Hospital Newcastle has no recompression chamber |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Point Stephens Lighthouse reef
Also known as Point Stephens
A remote, fully exposed outer headland reef beneath a historic lighthouse, dived only in the calmest conditions.
Near Nelson Bay · Port Stephens, New South Wales
- Depth
- 10–25 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~35 min
- Water
- 22-25 °C
- Visibility
- 8-20 m
Point Stephens Lighthouse reef10–25 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Calm, settled weather windows
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 10–25 m
- Typical depth
- 18 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 11 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~35 min
- Current
- Moderate
- Visibility
- 8-20 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-25 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 17-20 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 30 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter
Location
Tomaree Peninsula — Port Stephens outer point · Hunter — Port Stephens/Nelson Bay
-32.73500, 152.20500
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: en.wikipedia.orgMarine park & permits
None required
Nearest recompression chamber
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) — John Hunter Hospital Newcastle has no recompression chamber
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Point Stephens Lighthouse reef →
A day-by-day plan for Port Stephens 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
Point Stephens Lighthouse reef is a reef boat dive in Port Stephens, NSW, 10–25 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, moderate current, about 35 minutes by boat.
Rated advanced because of depth beyond 18 m.
Why dive here
- A remote, fully exposed outer headland reef beneath a historic lighthouse, dived only in the calmest conditions.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
- Visibility often reaches 8-20 m.
About Point Stephens Lighthouse reef
Point Stephens marks the outermost tip of the Tomaree Peninsula, its historic lighthouse a genuine maritime landmark that has guided shipping past this stretch of coast for well over a century, including the very waters where the SS Catterthun ran into the gale that led to her loss on a reef near Seal Rocks in 1895. The reef fringing the point itself is boat-accessible only, given the lack of any vehicle or walking track to the lighthouse, and its fully exposed position — open to swell from virtually every direction except due west — makes it one of the more weather-dependent dive sites in the greater Port Stephens area, generally only diveable in settled, calm conditions that align with a specific weather window. Underwater, the site offers a genuine outer-headland character distinct from the more sheltered inner-harbour and island sites closer to Nelson Bay, with pelagic fish more likely to be encountered here given the point's position jutting into open water, alongside the general mix of temperate reef fish and invertebrates typical of the broader Port Stephens region.
Because of its remoteness and exposure, Point Stephens sees relatively little dive traffic compared with Fingal Island or the closer island group, and it is more often visited by private boat owners with local knowledge of the conditions than featured on a standard Nelson Bay charter schedule. For divers drawn by the site's maritime history and its position at the literal end of the peninsula, a calm-day visit offers both a genuine sense of remoteness and a worthwhile, if lesser-known, addition to a longer Port Stephens diving stay.
Getting there & entry
A rocky point at the outer tip of the Tomaree Peninsula marked by the historic Point Stephens Lighthouse, a genuine maritime landmark referenced in the loss of the SS Catterthun nearby, with a boat-accessible fringing reef.
Point Stephens sits at the outer tip of the Tomaree Peninsula beyond Fingal Bay; there is no vehicle or direct walking access to the lighthouse itself, and the reef is reached only by boat from Nelson Bay, running south around Tomaree Head and past Fingal Island, a trip of around 30-40 minutes depending on conditions.
Entry: Giant stride from charter boat onto a mooring off the point
Weather, swell & tides
Point Stephens is the most exposed headland on the Tomaree Peninsula, fully open to ocean swell from the north-east through to the south — dived only in genuinely calm, settled weather, and it was in a gale near this point that the SS Catterthun met the conditions that led to her loss on a reef further north near Seal Rocks in 1895, a reminder of just how exposed this stretch of coast can become.
Best season: Calm, settled weather windows
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Point Stephens Lighthouse reef doesn't.
- Halifax Park (Nelson Bay) · 5 km · Max 26 m
- Fly Point · 5 km · Max 22 m
- Little Beach (Nelson Bay) · 4 km · Max 20 m
- The Pipeline (Nelson Bay) · 6 km · Max 18 m
How the dive is usually run
Descend onto the fringing reef off the point and work its structure at 10-25 m, watching for pelagic fish typical of this exposed outer headland and general Port Stephens reef fauna, staying alert to current given the site's fully open position.
Marine life
- Pelagic fish
- general Port Stephens reef fish and invertebrates
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Beyond 18 m an Advanced certification (which includes a deep dive to 30 m) is the accepted minimum. Anything past 25 m is a deep dive in practice.
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
Fully exposed to swell from most directions — dive only in genuinely calm, settled weather; moderate current; remote position requires a well-prepared boat and crew.
Dive centres that go here
Occasionally included by Nelson Bay operators as an alternative to Fingal Island; more commonly dived by private boat given its remote, outer-point position.
Other dive centres in Port Stephens
Dive Newcastle
ProfiledBeresfield · Port Stephens · NSW
A Beresfield dive superstore teaching RAID courses, with air fills, servicing, rental and a large scuba, freediving and spearfishing range.
neptunesports.com.au · (02) 4966 4900
Grey Nurse Charters
ProfiledNelson Bay · Port Stephens · NSW
A PADI-registered dive boat running charters around Port Stephens, Newcastle and Swansea, with PADI courses to Divemaster and TecRec.
greynurse.com.au · 0408 633 793
Feet First Dive
ProfiledNelson Bay · Port Stephens · NSW
A Nelson Bay SSI centre running Broughton Island boat dives and Port Stephens shore dives, with rebreather and Extended Range training.
feetfirstdive.com.au · (02) 4984 2092
Dive Swansea
ProfiledSwansea · Port Stephens · NSW
An SSI Instructor Training Center 60 metres from the Swansea Bridge shore dive, with boat trips to Moon Island and rebreather and Extended Range training.
diveswansea.com.au · (02) 4972 0940
Let's Go Adventures
Reported closedNelson Bay · Port Stephens · NSW
letsgoadventures.com.au is now a parked domain listed for sale.
All dive centres in New South Wales →
Operators mentioned: Private boat / occasional Nelson Bay charters
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views



Point Stephens Lighthouse reef: frequently asked questions
How deep is Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
Point Stephens Lighthouse reef reaches a maximum depth of 25 m, with the shallowest part at about 10 m; most of the dive is spent around 18 m.
What certification do I need to dive Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated advanced because of depth beyond 18 m.
Can I shore dive Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
No, it is reached by boat (about 35 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
Calm, settled weather windows.
What marine life will I see at Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
Regularly recorded: Pelagic fish, general Port Stephens reef fish and invertebrates.
What wetsuit do I need at Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter.
How cold is the water at Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
Typically 22-25 °C in summer and 17-20 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
Fully exposed to swell from most directions — dive only in genuinely calm, settled weather; moderate current; remote position requires a well-prepared boat and crew. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Point Stephens Lighthouse reef?
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) — John Hunter Hospital Newcastle has no recompression chamber. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Port Stephens
Port Stephens has two personalities. Inside the port, Fly Point and Halifax Park at Nelson Bay are world-class shore dives on the slack tide, with sponge gardens, frogfish, seahorses and huge schools of fish under a shipping channel. Outside, Broughton Island and Cabbage Tree Island have grey nurse shark gutters, caves and seals.
Getting there: Two and a half hours north of Sydney. Nelson Bay has several dive shops; Fly Point and Halifax have car parks and stair entries. Broughton Island is 40 minutes by boat.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Limited dedicated dive documentation found for this specific outer headland reef; description generalised from regional geography and the Catterthun's documented loss near this point — recommend verifying with a Nelson Bay operator.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction










