Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Point Upright
Batemans Bay, New South Wales · near Durras North
| Depth | 5–20 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Shore or Boat |
| Entry | Rock entry from the platform in calm seas; or giant stride from boat |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 8–15 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 | Calm westerly days, late summer to early winter |
| Bottom time | 45 min |
| Position | -35.62800, 150.32200 (approximate) |
| Permit | Batemans Marine Park – check current zoning map (sanctuary and habitat protection zones occur along the Murramarang coast); Murramarang National Park fees for road access |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Point Upright
Also known as Point Upright Durras North
Rarely dived headland reef on the Murramarang coast north of Batemans Bay.
Near Durras North · Batemans Bay, New South Wales
- Depth
- 5–20 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Boat ride
- ~25 min
- Water
- 20–22 °C
- Visibility
- 8–15 m
Point Upright5–20 m · Advanced Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, June, July, August, December.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 5–20 m
- Typical depth
- 12 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Dive centre needed
- Recommended
- Shore / independent
- Possible (experienced only)
- Boat ride
- ~25 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 8–15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 20–22 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 13–15 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 45 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
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
Murramarang coast (Kioloa – Durras) · Batemans Bay – Eurobodalla
-35.62800, 150.32200
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: dpird.nsw.gov.auMarine park & permits
Batemans Marine Park – check current zoning map (sanctuary and habitat protection zones occur along the Murramarang coast); Murramarang National Park fees for road access
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 Point Upright →
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
Point Upright is a shore / rock platform shore dive for experienced divers in Batemans Bay, NSW, 5–20 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, about 25 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m, cold water.
Why dive here
- Rarely dived headland reef on the Murramarang coast north of Batemans Bay.
- 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 Point Upright
Point Upright is a distinctive headland on the Murramarang coast between Depot Beach and Durras North, about 12 km north of Batemans Bay. Its name comes from the upright rock formations on the point, and it is a well-known landmark for boats heading north from Batemans Bay.
The headland drops from a rock platform into kelp-covered reef, boulders and gutters, reaching sand at around 20 m on the outer side. Reefs of this type on the Murramarang coast usually have crayweed and kelp in the shallows, urchin barrens and sponge-covered rock below, and plenty of fish: blue groper, red morwong, eastern rock blackfish, sweep, luderick and schools of yellowtail, with wobbegongs, Port Jackson sharks and eastern blue devilfish in the ledges. Grey nurse sharks move along this coast between the Tollgate Islands and Brush Island.
The site suits divers with their own boat or a private charter who want to explore a quieter part of the Batemans Marine Park. It is exposed, so pick a flat day. The coastal walk to the point is well worth doing on a non-dive day. Until then, plan a conservative dive close to the anchor and keep an eye on the weather for the run home.
Getting there & entry
Prominent headland between Depot Beach and Durras North in Murramarang National Park, north of Batemans Bay; rocky reef off the point reached by boat or, on flat days, from shore.
By road, turn off the Princes Highway onto Durras Road or Mt Agony Road and follow signs to Depot Beach or Durras North in Murramarang National Park, then walk the coastal track to Point Upright (park fees apply at Depot Beach). The platform is exposed and a boat is the practical approach: from the Hanging Rock ramp in Batemans Bay run about 12 km north past Durras, around 25 minutes.
Entry: Rock entry from the platform in calm seas; or giant stride from boat
Facilities: Depot Beach and Durras North campgrounds/day-use areas (park fees); nearest air fills in Batemans Bay.
Weather, swell & tides
The point is an exposed headland that takes swell from the north-east round to the south-east. It needs calm seas and light winds; a westerly after several days of low swell is ideal. The rock platform is known for waves washing over it, so shore entries should only be made on flat days.
Southerly changes arrive quickly and make the run home from the north uncomfortable. Visibility drops after heavy rain.
Best season: Calm westerly days, late summer to early winter
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Point Upright doesn't.
- Guerilla Bay · 24 km · Max 15 m
- Pebbly Beach (Murramarang) · 2 km · Max 10 m
- Pretty Beach (Murramarang) · 8 km · Max 10 m
- Bawley Point · 14 km · Max 13 m
How the dive is usually run
Anchor on the sheltered side of the point in 10–15 m and follow the reef edge around the point, keeping the rock on one side, to about 20 m on the outside. Return along a shallower line and ascend on the anchor.
Marine life
- Blue groper →
- red morwong
- eastern rock blackfish
- sweep
- luderick
- yellowtail
- wobbegongs →
- Port Jackson sharks →
- eastern blue devilfish →
- kelp
- sponges
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.
Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 12 m); the full site to 20 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water.
Operators' own listing: Open Water.
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
Exposed platform with waves washing over it – shore entry only in flat seas. Remote; southerly changes. Marine park zoning.
Dive centres that go here
No operator lists Point Upright as a regular site; it is occasionally dived by private boats from Batemans Bay. Beneath the Bay can run private charters on request.
Operators recorded for Point Upright
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
Point Upright: frequently asked questions
How deep is Point Upright?
Point Upright reaches a maximum depth of 20 m, with the shallowest part at about 5 m; most of the dive is spent around 12 m.
What certification do I need to dive Point Upright?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 12 m); the full site to 20 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water. Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m, cold water.
Can I shore dive Point Upright?
Experienced divers do dive Point Upright from the shore, but the entry or conditions make it unsuitable for newer divers without local guidance. Entry: Rock entry from the platform in calm seas; or giant stride from boat.
When is the best time to dive Point Upright?
Calm westerly days, late summer to early winter.
What marine life will I see at Point Upright?
Regularly recorded: Blue groper, red morwong, eastern rock blackfish, sweep, luderick, yellowtail, wobbegongs, Port Jackson sharks, eastern blue devilfish, kelp, sponges.
What wetsuit do I need at Point Upright?
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 Point Upright?
Typically 20–22 °C in summer and 13–15 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Point Upright?
Exposed platform with waves washing over it – shore entry only in flat seas. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Point Upright?
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: Low · Being verified: No dive-specific source found; all depths indicative, coordinates approximate.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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