Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)
Tasmania North & North-West, Tasmania · near Wynyard
| Depth | 3–9 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Back roll or giant stride from a small boat (live-boat drop and pick-up is the local norm) |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-15 m |
| Water | summer 16-19 °C, winter 11-13 °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October |
| Best season | January-April, in southerly or light winds |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | -40.86600, 145.48700 (approximate) |
| Permit | Rocky Cape National Park (land) - Parks Pass required for vehicles. No marine reserve; normal Tasmanian fishing rules apply. No permit needed to dive. |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200 |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)
Also known as The Boomer
A quick, easy dive on a rocky dome right off the Mary Ann Bay ramp.
Near Wynyard · Tasmania North & North-West, Tasmania
- Depth
- 3–9 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~5 min
- Water
- 16-19 °C
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)3–9 m · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 3–9 m
- Typical depth
- 6 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 0.3 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~5 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 16-19 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 11-13 °C
- Water
- Cold Temperate
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Moderate (occasional charters/club dives)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October
Location
Rocky Cape National Park · Tasmania North-West Coast
-40.86600, 145.48700
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
Rocky Cape National Park (land) - Parks Pass required for vehicles. No marine reserve; normal Tasmanian fishing rules apply. No permit needed to dive.
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay) →
A day-by-day plan for Tasmania North & North-West 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
The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay) is a reef boat dive in Tasmania North & North-West, TAS, 3–9 m, suited to Open Water divers, about 5 minutes by boat.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note cold water.
Why dive here
- A quick, easy dive on a rocky dome right off the Mary Ann Bay ramp.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Strong westerlies
- Any time other than slack water
About The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)
The Boomer is a small rocky dome in Mary Ann Bay, rated 5 out of 10 by the Marine Life Network guide as an easy, relaxing dive in calm weather. It breaks in all but the calmest conditions (hence the name) and offers some shelter from easterlies, with shallow depths of 3-9 m and an unusual variety of short green and brown algae. Wrasse, magpie perch and leatherjackets shelter in the crevices, and there are small abalone. It becomes murky in any swell. The Leven Scuba Club includes it among the Rocky Cape sites. Local divers typically combine two or three Rocky Cape and Sisters Island sites in a day, choosing the side of the cape that suits the wind and the state of the tide.
The Rocky Cape and Sisters Island area is, in the Leven Scuba Club's words, the best collection of dive sites on the north-west coast. The quartzite of Rocky Cape - some of the oldest rock in Tasmania - forms gutters, ledges, caves and bommies, and the tidal flow along Bass Strait keeps sponges, gorgonians, sea pens and bryozoans well fed. Michael McFadyen, diving here in February 2008, recorded 18-19 °C water and 20-25 m visibility, figures that surprise divers used to the east coast.
Rocky Cape National Park also protects Aboriginal cave sites and coastal heath above the water, and a Parks Pass is required for vehicles. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is the Royal Hobart Hospital, about four hours' drive away, so conservative profiles and oxygen on the boat are essential.
Getting there & entry
A small rocky dome in Mary Ann Bay off the western rocky point of Rocky Cape, which breaks in all but the calmest weather.
Rocky Cape National Park is off the Bass Highway between Wynyard and Stanley, about 30 minutes west of Wynyard and 1 hr 15 min west of Devonport (Spirit of Tasmania terminal). A Parks Pass is required. Boats launch at the Rocky Cape boat ramps (the western ramp at Mary Ann Bay suits boats up to about 5 m), Sisters Beach or Boat Harbour; ramps are shallow and weedy at low tide, so a 4WD tow vehicle helps.
Launch at the western Rocky Cape boat ramp in Mary Ann Bay; The Boomer is straight off the western rocky point, a few minutes away.
Entry: Back roll or giant stride from a small boat (live-boat drop and pick-up is the local norm)
Facilities: Rocky Cape National Park: day-use areas, toilets and picnic facilities at Mary Ann Bay/western end and near the lighthouse road; no shops. Sisters Beach and Boat Harbour have small general stores; Wynyard for all services. No confirmed air fills on the coast - Launceston is the reliable option.
Weather, swell & tides
The north-west coast faces Bass Strait: north-westerly to north-easterly winds and westerly swell make it rough, while southerly winds blow offshore and give flat seas - light airs and sunny days are relatively common from January to April. Easterly gales are common in the warmer months and close the eastern faces of Rocky Cape and Sisters Island. Tidal streams run along the coast (eastward on the flood), and several boat sites are only comfortable around slack water.
Some shelter from easterlies; murky in any swell and breaks except in calm conditions.
Best season: January-April, in southerly or light winds
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay) doesn't.
- Pebbly Beach (Rocky Cape) · 1 km · Max 15 m
- Rocky Cape · 3 km · Max 10 m
- SS Southern Cross (Boat Rock) · 6 km · Max 12 m
- Glory Hole (Sisters Cave) · 10 km · Max 10 m
How the dive is usually run
Circle the dome at 5-9 m looking into crevices, keeping clear of the breaking top. Turn the dive at half gas (thirds where current or overhead sections are involved), deploy an SMB before surfacing for the live-boat pick-up, and complete a 3-minute safety stop at about 5 m where depth allows.
Marine life
- Wrasse
- magpie perch
- leatherjackets
- small abalone
- short green and brown algae
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.
- Peak Performance Buoyancy – Silt and low visibility punish poor trim.
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
Breaking water over the dome; poor visibility in swell.
Dive centres that go here
No confirmed commercial dive operator on the north-west coast as of 2026 (older guides mention dive services in Wynyard and Devonport - verify). Sites are dived mainly by the Leven Scuba Club (Ulverstone), other north-west club members and visiting divers with their own boats; Tasmanian Divers (Launceston) runs occasional northern trips.
Operators recorded for The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)
Tasmanian Divers North
ListedLaunceston · Tasmania North & North-West · TAS
A northern Tasmanian operation serving the Bass Strait coastline and local diving community.
tasdivers.com.au · (03) 6229 1020
Leven Scuba Club
Named by sitesDevonport · Tasmania North & North-West · TAS
Club, not a shop: website live and the club is listed for the Tasmanian Combined Clubs Weekend 2026; meets first Thursday monthly at Mersey Yacht Club.
levenscubaclub.com.au
Other dive centres in Tasmania North & North-West
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views


The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay): frequently asked questions
How deep is The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay) reaches a maximum depth of 9 m, with the shallowest part at about 3 m; most of the dive is spent around 6 m.
What certification do I need to dive The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
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 The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
No, it is reached by boat (about 5 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
January-April, in southerly or light winds.
What marine life will I see at The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
Regularly recorded: Wrasse, magpie perch, leatherjackets, small abalone, short green and brown algae.
What wetsuit do I need at The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October.
How cold is the water at The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
Typically 16-19 °C in summer and 11-13 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
Breaking water over the dome; poor visibility in swell. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to The Boomer (Mary Ann Bay)?
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Tasmania North & North-West
Bass Strait's Tasmanian shore from Devonport to Stanley and Rocky Cape is clear, cold and almost undived: sponge gardens, kelp and rock lobster around Wynyard, Boat Harbour and Sisters Beach, the Table Cape wall, and the Rocky Cape National Park reefs. Visibility of 20 m is common in settled weather.
Getting there: Fly into Devonport, Burnie or Launceston. Mostly shore dives with beach and rock entries; occasional club boat dives.
All Tasmania North & North-West dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Medium · Being verified: Coordinates approximate.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction








