Quarry Bay is a small bay near Cape Leeuwin with a piece of history in its name. Marinelife.org.au notes that limestone was hewn here for the blocks of the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. It describes a bay about 200 m across at its entrance, where waves break over granite rocks and reefs at the mouth and lower the wave energy at the shore, and says the reefs near the beach are usually suitable for snorkelling in calm weather, making it a good snorkel dive.

The mix of granite and limestone near the beach gives shallow reef with weed, small fish and invertebrates, in a sheltered pocket on a very exposed coastline. It is a quiet spot, visited mostly by walkers on the Cape to Cape Track and locals.

It suits snorkellers and families on calm days; scuba divers will find it shallow. Keep inside the bay and away from the breaking water at the mouth.

Combine a visit with Skippy Rock and the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, whose tower was built from stone quarried here.

The coast around Cape Leeuwin is where the Indian and Southern oceans meet, and it is one of the most exposed shorelines in Australia. The sheltered coves and bays near Augusta are the exceptions, which is why local divers value them. There is no dive shop in Augusta, so bring filled cylinders from Busselton or Perth, and remember that the nearest recompression chamber is at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, about four hours' drive away. Ngari Capes Marine Park zoning includes sanctuary zones at Cape Leeuwin and East Flinders Bay, so check the maps before fishing or collecting.

From Augusta take Leeuwin Road toward the cape, turn onto Skippy Rock Road and then the gravel road to the Quarry Bay car park. Walk down to the beach and enter near the reefs close to shore. The nearest full-service dive shop for fills and hire is Swan Dive in Busselton; there is no dedicated dive shop in Margaret River or Augusta, so bring filled cylinders.

Waves break over granite at the mouth, lowering wave energy at the shore; reefs near the beach are usually suitable for snorkelling in calm weather (marinelife.org.au). Avoid in large swell. General pattern on the Capes and Leeuwin coast: summer mornings often have light easterly (offshore) winds before a south-westerly sea breeze, and long-period south-westerly groundswell can arrive on otherwise calm days; winter fronts bring big swell and north-westerly winds.

Check the Bureau of Meteorology swell forecast, not just the wind.

Snorkel the reefs near the beach inside the bay, staying clear of the breaking water at the mouth. Snorkellers should stay within easy reach of the exit point and swim with a buddy; scuba divers at these depths need no safety stop but should ascend slowly and surface near the float.

No operator; self-guided snorkel. Nearest dive services: Swan Dive (Busselton/Port Geographe) for fills, hire, nitrox and charters; no dive shop in Margaret River or Augusta.