Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Snowflake (Forster)
Forster & Seal Rocks, New South Wales · near Forster/Tuncurry
| Depth | 10–20 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Giant stride from charter boat onto a mooring |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 10-25 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 | Year-round |
| Bottom time | 40 min |
| Position | not published |
| 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 |
Snowflake (Forster)
A lightly documented Forster reef site, likely named for a patch of pale sponge or coral growth.
Near Forster/Tuncurry · Forster & Seal Rocks, New South Wales
- Depth
- 10–20 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~15 min
- Water
- 22-25 °C
- Visibility
- 10-25 m
Snowflake (Forster)10–20 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 10–20 m
- Typical depth
- 16 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 2 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~15 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 10-25 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-25 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 17-20 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 40 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter
Location
Forster · NSW Mid North Coast — Forster/Tuncurry & Seal Rocks
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Forster.
Marine 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 Snowflake (Forster) →
A day-by-day plan for Forster & Seal Rocks 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
Snowflake (Forster) is a reef boat dive in Forster & Seal Rocks, NSW, 10–20 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, about 15 minutes by boat.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note depth beyond 18 m.
Why dive here
- A lightly documented Forster reef site, likely named for a patch of pale sponge or coral growth.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
- Visibility often reaches 10-25 m.
About Snowflake (Forster)
Snowflake is one of the more obscure named sites in the Forster Dive Centre rotation, appearing in local listings without a dedicated description in the sources available for this report. The name most plausibly references a patch of pale or white sponge, coral or ascidian growth that stands out against the surrounding reef, a naming convention seen at similarly descriptive sites elsewhere on this coast, though this cannot be confirmed without direct local knowledge. As with several other lightly documented Forster sites, it likely functions as a secondary option used to vary repeat-visitor itineraries or club dives rather than being actively promoted to first-time visitors, and its depth and general character can reasonably be assumed to sit within the same range as the area's other inshore reef dives.
Divers with a specific interest in this site, or planning a multi-day Forster itinerary that includes it, should confirm current details directly with Forster Dive Centre, who will have first-hand, up-to-date knowledge of what the site currently offers and how regularly it features in their trip schedule. As with several of Forster's minor sites, first-hand local briefing will give a far more accurate picture than any general description. Photographers in particular should ask whether recent trips have found anything worth targeting before including it in a plan.
Getting there & entry
A reef site off Forster, part of the local dive centre's site listing, name possibly referencing white sponge or coral cover.
Boats depart from Forster Dive Centre's base at Tuncurry (30 Manning Lane) or the Forster/Tuncurry boat ramp on Wallis Lake, running out through the lake entrance to the open sites. Forster-side sites (Latitude Rock, The Pinnacle, Bennetts Head Bommie) are 10-25 minutes away; Seal Rocks sites are a longer run of roughly 45-60 minutes further south, or reached by launching a boat directly from the Seal Rocks/Sugarloaf Point boat ramp for a much shorter trip.
Entry: Giant stride from charter boat onto a mooring
Weather, swell & tides
Forster and Seal Rocks sit on an open, exposed stretch of coast with limited shelter — trips are cancelled in significant easterly swell or strong wind, and operators generally want under 1.5-2 m swell to run safely, especially for the Seal Rocks sites given the longer, more exposed run. Visibility is typically best in autumn and winter (15-30 m) and can drop after East Coast Lows or heavy rain from the Wallis Lake/Myall Lakes catchments. Grey nurse sharks are present through most of the year with the largest aggregations typically reported over the cooler months.
Best season: Year-round
How the dive is usually run
Descend onto the reef and explore its structure at 10-20 m, looking for the pale sponge or coral growth that likely gives the site its name, in typical Forster reef style.
Marine life
- General Forster-area reef fish and invertebrates (not specifically documented)
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 16 m); the full site to 20 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water.
Operators' own listing: Open Water.
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
Standard boat-diving precautions; specific hazards not documented.
Dive centres that go here
Forster Dive Centre (Tuncurry) — daily boat trips to Forster and Seal Rocks sites, year-round.
Operators recorded for Snowflake (Forster)
General area
No position has been published for Snowflake (Forster). The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Forster. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 15 km), from other documented sites near Forster. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Snowflake (Forster): frequently asked questions
How deep is Snowflake (Forster)?
Snowflake (Forster) reaches a maximum depth of 20 m, with the shallowest part at about 10 m; most of the dive is spent around 16 m.
What certification do I need to dive Snowflake (Forster)?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 16 m); the full site to 20 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note depth beyond 18 m.
Can I shore dive Snowflake (Forster)?
No, it is reached by boat (about 15 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Snowflake (Forster)?
Year-round.
What marine life will I see at Snowflake (Forster)?
Regularly recorded: General Forster-area reef fish and invertebrates (not specifically documented).
What wetsuit do I need at Snowflake (Forster)?
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter.
How cold is the water at Snowflake (Forster)?
Typically 22-25 °C in summer and 17-20 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Snowflake (Forster)?
Standard boat-diving precautions; specific hazards not documented. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Snowflake (Forster)?
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 Forster & Seal Rocks
Forster is one of the best places in the world to dive with grey nurse sharks. The Pinnacles, Latitude Rock and the Big Seal at Seal Rocks hold aggregations of 20–60 sharks in season, and Seal Rocks' gutters are within a few hundred metres of a beach launch. The SS Satara, a 1910 steamer in 44 m, and the Pinnacle's own wrecks add deep options.
Getting there: Three and a half hours north of Sydney. Forster charters run the Pinnacles and Latitude Rock; Seal Rocks is a beach launch or a longer boat trip. Shore dives at Forster's Bennetts Head and the Tuncurry breakwall.
All Forster & Seal Rocks dive sites and a suggested itinerary →





