Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Port Neill Jetty
Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf, South Australia · near Port Neill
| Depth | 1–5 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore |
| Entry | Steps from the jetty or beach entry |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 4-10 m |
| Water | summer 19-22 °C, winter 13-14 °C |
| Suit | 5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter |
| Best season | Calm westerly days, summer and autumn |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | -34.11000, 136.35000 (approximate) |
| Permit | None required |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – evacuation via RFDS Central Operations aeromedical retrieval from the nearest airstrip |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Port Neill Jetty
An easy shallow jetty dive with a historic barque wreck (Lady Kinnaird) a coastal walk away.
Near Port Neill · Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf, South Australia
- Depth
- 1–5 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Shore
- Boat ride
- Shore entry
- Water
- 19-22 °C
- Visibility
- 4-10 m
Port Neill Jetty1–5 m · Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, May, December.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 1–5 m
- Typical depth
- 3 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Shore
- Dive centre needed
- No – independently diveable
- Shore / independent
- Yes
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 4-10 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 19-22 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 13-14 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Yes
Exposure suit
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter
Location
Port Neill · Eyre Peninsula – East Coast (Spencer Gulf)
-34.11000, 136.35000
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
None required
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – evacuation via RFDS Central Operations aeromedical retrieval from the nearest airstrip
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Port Neill Jetty →
A day-by-day plan for Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf 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
Port Neill Jetty is a jetty / pier shore dive you can do independently in Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf, SA, 1–5 m, suited to Open Water divers.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note cold water.
Why dive here
- An easy shallow jetty dive with a historic barque wreck (Lady Kinnaird) a coastal walk away.
- 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
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Strong westerlies
About Port Neill Jetty
Port Neill is a quiet seaside town on the east coast of Eyre Peninsula, and its jetty is one of the string of old grain jetties along this coast. There is no dedicated published dive guide for the jetty itself, but the town is noted by the Marine Life Society for the nearby wreck of the Lady Kinnaird, reached by a walking trail along the coast from the jetty. The jetty stands in shallow water over sand and seagrass.
The piles carry algae, sponges and ascidians, with crabs, nudibranchs and small fish, and schools of tommy ruff, garfish and whiting gather around the structure. Squid visit at night and blue swimmer crabs are common in summer. On calm westerly days the water can be clear, and the jetty makes a pleasant, easy snorkel or shore dive.
Port Neill's real appeal for divers is the combination: an easy jetty dive and a shallow historic wreck within walking distance. The Lady Kinnaird (see separate entry), an iron barque wrecked in 1880, lies in about 6 m opposite the golf club, with iron plating, chain, masts, winches and an anchor. The town has a caravan park, kiosk and pub, making it a relaxed base between Whyalla and Port Lincoln.
Data confidence for the jetty itself is low.
Getting there & entry
Town jetty at Port Neill on the east coast of Eyre Peninsula, 42 km north of Tumby Bay; a coastal walking trail leads from the jetty to the wreck of the Lady Kinnaird.
Port Neill is just off the Lincoln Highway about 42 km north of Tumby Bay and 90 km north of Port Lincoln (roughly 590 km from Adelaide). The jetty is on the foreshore in the small town centre beside the caravan park. Park at the jetty head and enter via the steps or beach at mid to high tide.
The coastal walking trail to the Lady Kinnaird wreck starts nearby.
Entry: Steps from the jetty or beach entry
Facilities: Parking, toilets, caravan park, kiosk and pub.
Weather, swell & tides
The east coast of Eyre Peninsula faces Spencer Gulf, so easterly, north-easterly and south-easterly winds blow onshore, raise chop and stir the sand and seagrass, while westerly winds blow offshore and give the flattest, clearest water. There is little ocean swell this far inside the gulf, although strong south-easterlies can produce a short, steep sea. Tides are moderate, and shallow jetties are easiest around mid to high water.
Summer afternoons often bring south-easterly sea breezes, so mornings are best; winter has more westerly weather, which suits this coast, but colder water (about 13-14°C).
Best season: Calm westerly days, summer and autumn
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Port Neill Jetty doesn't.
- Lady Kinnaird Wreck · 1 km · Max 6 m
How the dive is usually run
Swim out along the jetty piles to the end, look over the growth and seagrass, and return; combine with a separate dive on the Lady Kinnaird.
Marine life
- Tommy ruff
- garfish
- King George whiting
- squid →
- blue swimmer crabs
- nudibranchs →
- crabs
- seagrass fauna
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.
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
Fishing line; shallow at low tide; easterly winds reduce visibility.
Dive centres that go here
No operator; occasional independent divers and snorkellers.
Other dive centres in Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf
Diving Adelaide
ListedMarleston · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide training and guided diving operation serving local sites and organised trips.
divingadelaide.com.au · (08) 8122 5003
Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries
Named by sitesAdelaide · Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf · SA
Not-for-profit guided snorkel program (EMS), not a dive shop; operates statewide including Whyalla.
emsau.org
Tony Bramley cuttlefish tours
Reported closedWhyalla · Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf · SA
Tony Bramley's Whyalla Diving Services; he has since sold the Whyalla Dive Shop (whydive.com.au), which now runs cuttlefish tours under new owners.
All dive centres in South Australia →
Operators mentioned: None; Port Lincoln for air
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Port Neill Jetty: frequently asked questions
How deep is Port Neill Jetty?
Port Neill Jetty reaches a maximum depth of 5 m, with the shallowest part at about 1 m; most of the dive is spent around 3 m.
What certification do I need to dive Port Neill Jetty?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note cold water.
Can I shore dive Port Neill Jetty?
Yes. Port Neill Jetty is a shore dive that can be done independently: steps from the jetty or beach entry.
When is the best time to dive Port Neill Jetty?
Calm westerly days, summer and autumn.
What marine life will I see at Port Neill Jetty?
Regularly recorded: Tommy ruff, garfish, King George whiting, squid, blue swimmer crabs, nudibranchs, crabs, seagrass fauna.
What wetsuit do I need at Port Neill Jetty?
5-7 mm full wetsuit with hood in summer/autumn; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit in winter.
How cold is the water at Port Neill Jetty?
Typically 19-22 °C in summer and 13-14 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Port Neill Jetty?
Fishing line; shallow at low tide; easterly winds reduce visibility. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Port Neill Jetty?
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – evacuation via RFDS Central Operations aeromedical retrieval from the nearest airstrip. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf
Every winter tens of thousands of giant Australian cuttlefish gather on the rocky reef between Point Lowly and Stony Point to breed, in 2–6 m of water a few metres from the shore. It is the only mass aggregation of its kind in the world and one of the great wildlife dives anywhere. The Whyalla jetties and the Point Lowly reefs are worthwhile the rest of the year.
Getting there: Four hours north of Adelaide. Stony Point and Black Point have car parks and steps to the water; local dive shops hire gear in season.
All Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: No jetty-specific source; depths approximate.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
More shore dives in South Australia
Explore more
This region
Similar dives