Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 6 Nov 2026
Seaford Reef
Adelaide Metro, South Australia · near Seaford
| Depth | Max 18 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat (day trip) |
| Entry | Back roll or giant stride from private or charter boat |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-12 m |
| Water | summer 19-23 °C, winter 12-14 °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood year-round; drysuit popular in winter (June-September) |
| Best season | Late summer to autumn (February-May) for the calmest mornings and best visibility; winter can be clear on easterly days |
| Bottom time | 40 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | Encounter Marine Park – check zoning maps |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Adelaide Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Adelaide CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200 |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Seaford Reef
An undocumented offshore reef off Seaford for divers who like exploring off the beaten track.
Near Seaford · Adelaide Metro, South Australia
- Depth
- Max 18 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 19-23 °C
- Visibility
- 5-12 m
Seaford ReefMax 18 m · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, December.
Late summer to autumn (February-May) for the calmest mornings and best visibility; winter can be clear on easterly days
- Best months
- Now (November)
Dive facts
- Depth
- Max 18 m
- Typical depth
- 15 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Open Water (10–18 m)
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-12 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 19-23 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 12-14 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 40 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood year-round; drysuit popular in winter (June-September)
Location
Southern metro offshore
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from documented sites across the Adelaide Metro region.
Primary source: en.wikivoyage.orgMarine park & permits
Encounter Marine Park – check zoning maps
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Adelaide Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Adelaide CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Seaford Reef →
A day-by-day plan for Adelaide Metro 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
Seaford Reef is a reef boat dive in Adelaide Metro, SA, to a maximum of 18 m, suited to Open Water divers.
Rated intermediate because of cold water.
Why dive here
- An undocumented offshore reef off Seaford for divers who like exploring off the beaten track.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
Conditions to avoid
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
- Spring tides (strong current)
About Seaford Reef
Seaford Reef is listed on Wikivoyage's South Australian dive guide as a boat-only reef dive off Seaford with a maximum depth of about 18 m, but no published description of its layout or life could be found. It sits in the stretch of coast between Port Noarlunga and Moana, south of the Onkaparinga River mouth, where the seabed of Gulf St Vincent is a mix of sand, seagrass and low limestone reef. Reefs at this depth off the southern metro coast typically combine low ledges and scattered limestone with sponge and ascidian growth, rather than the kelp-dominated shallows closer to shore.
Divers can reasonably expect blue devils, old wives, leatherjackets, magpie perch, bullseyes and wrasse, along with cuttlefish and nudibranchs, similar to reefs such as Seacliff and the Aldinga system to the south. This is an expectation, not a documented observation. The site is a candidate for divers who want to explore beyond the popular metro sites and have their own boat.
At up to 18 m it suits Open Water divers comfortable offshore and Advanced divers. Because information is sparse, check with the Scuba Divers Federation of SA or the Sea Wolves for a current mark and any recent reports, and fly a dive flag – recreational fishers use the area. Divers who visit Seaford Reef are encouraged to record depth, layout and species and share them with the Federation or the Marine Life Society of SA to improve the record for this site.
Until then, treat it as an exploratory dive and plan conservatively.
Getting there & entry
Offshore reef off Seaford, between Port Noarlunga and Moana, reaching about 18 m; exact position unpublished.
Boat access only. Launch at O'Sullivan Beach boat ramp and run south past Port Noarlunga to Seaford – roughly 10-15 minutes depending on the mark. Wikivoyage lists the site as boat-only without a position, so obtain a GPS mark from a local club or shop.
Anchor in sand beside the reef and keep a boat attendant with a dive flag.
Entry: Back roll or giant stride from private or charter boat
Facilities: O'Sullivan Beach boat ramp.
Weather, swell & tides
Open gulf site off a west-facing coast: dive in light winds, ideally easterlies on summer and autumn mornings before the south-westerly sea breeze. Westerly and south-westerly swell and wind make it rough and reduce visibility. Tidal flow is generally mild, stronger on spring tides.
Runoff from the Onkaparinga River can reduce visibility after rain.
Best season: Late summer to autumn (February-May) for the calmest mornings and best visibility; winter can be clear on easterly days
How the dive is usually run
Anchor beside the reef, follow its edge on one shoulder at 15-18 m, turn at half gas and return along the reef top.
Marine life
- Not documented; expected blue devilfish →
- old wives
- leatherjackets
- magpie perch
- bullseyes
- wrasse
- cuttlefish →
- nudibranchs →
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Within the 18 m limit of an entry-level certification.
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
Position not published; offshore boat dive; boat and fishing traffic; visibility reduced after westerlies or river flows.
Dive centres that go here
No regular operator – private boat and club dives only.
Operators recorded for Seaford Reef
Adelaide Scuba
ListedGlenelg North · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide business providing training, equipment and local diving support, located near Glenelg.
adelaidescuba.com.au · (08) 8294 7744
Underwater Sports
ListedHolden Hill · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide equipment and service business. Retail range and servicing capability require verification.
underwatersports.com.au · (08) 8263 3337
The Dive Shack
ListedGlenelg · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide business combining retail, servicing and training for South Australian divers.
thediveshack.com.au
Other dive centres in Adelaide Metro
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
Divers Delight
ListedStepney · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide dive business. Retail range, servicing and training availability require verification.
diversdelight.com.au · (08) 8363 7518
Adelaide Technical Diving
ListedPark Holme · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide operation specialising in technical diving training, relevant to divers preparing for deep, decompression or cave diving in South Australia.
Flinders University Underwater Club
Named by sitesBedford Park · Adelaide Metro · SA
Club, not a shop; open to non-students.
fuuc.com.au
General area
No position has been published for Seaford Reef. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from documented sites across the Adelaide Metro region. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 17 km), from documented sites across the Adelaide Metro region. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Seaford Reef: frequently asked questions
How deep is Seaford Reef?
Seaford Reef reaches a maximum depth of 18 m; most of the dive is spent around 15 m.
What certification do I need to dive Seaford Reef?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of cold water.
Can I shore dive Seaford Reef?
No, it is reached by boat. A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Seaford Reef?
Late summer to autumn (February-May) for the calmest mornings and best visibility; winter can be clear on easterly days.
What marine life will I see at Seaford Reef?
Regularly recorded: Not documented; expected blue devilfish, old wives, leatherjackets, magpie perch, bullseyes, wrasse, cuttlefish, nudibranchs.
What wetsuit do I need at Seaford Reef?
7 mm wetsuit with hood year-round; drysuit popular in winter (June-September).
How cold is the water at Seaford Reef?
Typically 19-23 °C in summer and 12-14 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Seaford Reef?
Position not published; offshore boat dive; boat and fishing traffic; visibility reduced after westerlies or river flows. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Seaford Reef?
Royal Adelaide Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Adelaide CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Adelaide Metro
Adelaide's coast has more than 40 dive sites in 30 minutes of the city: the Glenelg Dredge and the Barge off Glenelg, the reef and snorkel trail at Port Noarlunga, the Hallett Cove and Seacliff reefs, the ships' graveyard at Garden Island and the Port River dolphins. Most are shore or short-boat dives in 5–20 m.
Getting there: Shore dives have suburban car parks; charters from Glenelg, North Haven and O'Sullivan Beach run the wrecks and the Hobart.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: No coordinates, description or distance offshore published; only one source.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
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This region
Marine life