Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
The Pinnacle (Forster)
Forster & Seal Rocks, New South Wales · near Forster/Tuncurry
| Depth | 24–33 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Deep/Advanced + experience |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Giant stride from charter boat onto a shot line/mooring |
| Current | Moderate |
| 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; sharks present most consistently through the cooler months |
| Bottom time | 30 min |
| Position | -32.20000, 152.58000 (approximate) |
| Permit | Grey nurse shark critical habitat — Code of Conduct applies |
| 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 |
The Pinnacle (Forster)
One of the largest reliable grey nurse shark aggregations on the NSW coast, with reported counts of 50 or more sharks around a single pinnacle.
Near Forster/Tuncurry · Forster & Seal Rocks, New South Wales
- Depth
- 24–33 m
- Minimum level
- Deep/Advanced + experience
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~20 min
- Water
- 22-25 °C
- Visibility
- 10-25 m
The Pinnacle (Forster)24–33 m · Deep/Advanced + experience
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Year-round; sharks present most consistently through the cooler months
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 24–33 m
- Typical depth
- 28 m
- Certification
- Deep/Advanced + experience
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Depth tier
- Deep / Advanced + experience (30–40 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 3 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~20 min
- Current
- Moderate
- Visibility
- 10-25 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-25 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 17-20 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 30 min
- Dive traffic
- Very popular (dived daily)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
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
-32.20000, 152.58000
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: mudgeediveandtravel.comMarine park & permits
Grey nurse shark critical habitat — Code of Conduct applies
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 The Pinnacle (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
The Pinnacle (Forster) is a pinnacle / bommie boat dive in Forster & Seal Rocks, NSW, 24–33 m, suited to Deep/Advanced + experience divers, moderate current, about 20 minutes by boat.
Rated advanced because of depth to 33 m.
Why dive here
- One of the largest reliable grey nurse shark aggregations on the NSW coast, with reported counts of 50 or more sharks around a single pinnacle.
- Visibility often reaches 10-25 m.
About The Pinnacle (Forster)
The Pinnacle is Forster's flagship grey nurse shark dive, a submerged rock formation rising from the sandy sea floor a short boat run offshore, and it has built a reputation to rival Fish Rock and Seal Rocks for sheer shark numbers: aggregations of fifty or more grey nurse sharks, some measured up to four metres, have been reported holding around the structure, making it one of the most reliable large-aggregation sites on the entire NSW coast. The pinnacle sits in a depth range of roughly 24 to 33 metres, deep enough to require solid buoyancy control and a genuine advanced-diver comfort level, and its position on open sand means the sharks and the accompanying schools of kingfish and jewfish are visible clearly against a plain, uncluttered backdrop rather than tucked into complex reef structure. Beyond the resident sharks, the site has a track record of more unusual pelagic visitors passing through — marlin and hammerhead sharks have both been recorded here on occasion, a reminder that Forster sits at a point on the coast where warmer subtropical water and cooler temperate water regularly mix.
The scale of the shark aggregation, combined with the pinnacle's straightforward, easy-to-navigate shape, makes this one of the standout dives on the mid-north coast for divers specifically chasing a big-number grey nurse encounter, and it is dived daily by Forster Dive Centre when conditions allow. Because the depth sits toward the deeper end of recreational limits, it suits confident, experienced divers rather than those newly certified, and dive guides will typically brief a conservative bottom time to keep well within no-decompression limits given the numbers involved and the temptation to linger.
Getting there & entry
A submerged pinnacle off Forster rising from a sandy plain, one of the primary grey nurse shark aggregation sites in the Forster area, with reported aggregations of 50 or more sharks.
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 shot line/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; sharks present most consistently through the cooler months
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when The Pinnacle (Forster) doesn't.
- Bennett's Head Bommie · 5 km · Max 10 m
- Wallis Lake estuary diving · 10 km · Max 8 m
How the dive is usually run
Descend the mooring line onto the pinnacle at around 24 m and work around its base and any gutters where sharks are holding, keeping a respectful distance and staying alert for kingfish, jewfish and the occasional marlin or hammerhead in the blue. Ascend gradually and finish with a safety stop on the shallower part of the structure.
Marine life
- Grey nurse sharks (up to 4 m, aggregations of 50+) →
- kingfish
- jewfish
- occasional marlin
- occasional hammerhead sharks →
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
The recreational limit. Operators expect a Deep Diver specialty or Advanced plus a log of similar dives, and most recommend nitrox.
Operators often quote Advanced Open Water, but the site reaches 33 m, which is beyond that level's depth limit; Deep/Advanced + experience is the appropriate minimum for the full dive. This is a deep dive: plan gas, bottom time and a safety stop accordingly, and consider nitrox.
Operators' own listing: Advanced Open Water.
Courses that help here
- Enriched Air Nitrox – Longer no-decompression time at 25 m and deeper.
- Deep Diver – The site reaches 33 m.
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
Depth to 33 m requires advanced buoyancy and gas management; moderate current possible; Code of Conduct applies for grey nurse sharks (no touching, groups capped, no night diving).
Dive centres that go here
Forster Dive Centre (Tuncurry) — daily boat trips to Forster and Seal Rocks sites, year-round.
Operators recorded for The Pinnacle (Forster)
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views



The Pinnacle (Forster): frequently asked questions
How deep is The Pinnacle (Forster)?
The Pinnacle (Forster) reaches a maximum depth of 33 m, with the shallowest part at about 24 m; most of the dive is spent around 28 m.
What certification do I need to dive The Pinnacle (Forster)?
Deep/Advanced + experience is the recommended minimum. Operators often quote Advanced Open Water, but the site reaches 33 m, which is beyond that level's depth limit; Deep/Advanced + experience is the appropriate minimum for the full dive. This is a deep dive: plan gas, bottom time and a safety stop accordingly, and consider nitrox. Rated advanced because of depth to 33 m.
Can I shore dive The Pinnacle (Forster)?
No, it is reached by boat (about 20 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive The Pinnacle (Forster)?
Year-round; sharks present most consistently through the cooler months.
What marine life will I see at The Pinnacle (Forster)?
Regularly recorded: Grey nurse sharks (up to 4 m, aggregations of 50+), kingfish, jewfish, occasional marlin, occasional hammerhead sharks.
What wetsuit do I need at The Pinnacle (Forster)?
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter.
How cold is the water at The Pinnacle (Forster)?
Typically 22-25 °C in summer and 17-20 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at The Pinnacle (Forster)?
Depth to 33 m requires advanced buoyancy and gas management; moderate current possible; Code of Conduct applies for grey nurse sharks (no touching, groups capped, no night diving). See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to The Pinnacle (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 →
Sources
Data confidence: Medium · Being verified: GPS approximated; shark aggregation counts sourced from a single operator page and should be treated as indicative of peak conditions rather than typical every-dive numbers.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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