Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 7 Nov 2026
Tura Head
Merimbula, New South Wales · near Tura Beach
| Depth | Depth not published |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Shore or Boat |
| Entry | Rock entry in flat seas; or giant stride from boat |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 8–15 m m |
| Water | summer 18–20 °C °C, winter 12–14 °C °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves, or drysuit, for most of the year; 5 mm only in late summer |
| Best season | Calm periods, autumn and winter westerlies |
| Bottom time | 45 min |
| Position | -36.85300, 149.94000 (approximate) |
| Permit | None required – not in a marine park |
| Nearest chamber | Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney) |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Tura Head
Also known as Tura Point
Rarely dived headland reef north of Merimbula.
Near Tura Beach · Merimbula, New South Wales
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Boat ride
- ~15 min
- Water
- 18–20 °C
- Visibility
- 8–15 m
Tura HeadDepth not published · Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: March, April, May, June, July, August.
Dive facts
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Dive centre needed
- Recommended
- Shore / independent
- Possible (experienced only)
- Boat ride
- ~15 min
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 8–15 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 18–20 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 12–14 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 45 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- Partial
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves, or drysuit, for most of the year; 5 mm only in late summer
Location
Tura Beach · Merimbula – Sapphire Coast
-36.85300, 149.94000
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: eden.nsw.auMarine park & permits
None required – not in a marine park
Nearest recompression chamber
Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney)
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Tura Head →
A day-by-day plan for Merimbula 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
Tura Head is a reef shore dive for experienced divers in Merimbula, NSW, suited to Open Water divers, about 15 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of cold water.
Why dive here
- Rarely dived headland reef north of Merimbula.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
Conditions to avoid
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
About Tura Head
Tura Head is the headland at the northern end of Tura Beach, a residential area about 5 km north of Merimbula.
The headland drops from rock platforms into reef with kelp, crayweed and urchin barrens, and boulders and ledges further out. Deeper reef on this coast has sponges, sea squirts and gorgonians on shaded rock, as at Tathra and Merimbula. The fish are typical: blue groper, red morwong, sweep, yellowtail, leatherjackets, wrasse and eastern rock blackfish, with wobbegongs and Port Jackson sharks in the ledges and stingrays on the sand. Weedy sea dragons are common on kelp reefs around Merimbula, and humpback whales pass close to the headlands in spring.
The site suits divers with a boat on calm days, and experienced shore divers on flat days. For documented diving nearby, Merimbula Wharf is a short drive south. Merimbula Divers Lodge has accommodation at Tura Beach and would be the best source of local knowledge about diving the headland. On calm spring mornings the headland is also one of the better places near Merimbula to see migrating humpback whales from shore, which is worth the walk even without diving.
Getting there & entry
Headland at the northern end of Tura Beach, north of Merimbula; rocky reef off the point dived by boat or, in flat seas, from shore.
From Merimbula drive north on the Princes Highway and turn right to Tura Beach, then follow the coastal roads to the headland at the northern end of the beach (Tura Head / Tura Point, within the area of Bournda National Park). Park near the headland walking track and walk down to the rocks. By boat, run north from the Merimbula bar about 10–15 minutes.
Entry: Rock entry in flat seas; or giant stride from boat
Facilities: Street parking; shops at Tura Beach; Merimbula Divers Lodge accommodation nearby.
Weather, swell & tides
The headland faces east and takes swell from north-east through south-east. Rock entries are dangerous in any real swell; only dive in flat conditions, ideally with westerly winds. Boat trips depend on crossing the Merimbula bar.
Visibility falls after rain from Merimbula Lake and nearby lagoons.
Best season: Calm periods, autumn and winter westerlies
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Tura Head doesn't.
- Merimbula Wharf · 5 km · Max 16 m
- SS Empire Gladstone · 11 km · Max 12 m
- Tathra Wharf · 15 km · Max 15 m
- Short Point (Merimbula) · 3 km · Max 12 m
How the dive is usually run
From a boat, anchor on the sheltered side of the point and follow the reef edge around the headland, returning on a shallower line. From shore, only enter from a sheltered gully on a flat day and stay close to the point.
Marine life
- Expected: blue groper →
- red morwong
- sweep
- yellowtail
- leatherjackets
- wrasse
- eastern rock blackfish
- wobbegongs →
- Port Jackson sharks →
- stingrays
- weedy sea dragons →
- kelp
- sponges
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
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
Exposed rock entry; swell; bar crossing for boats.
Dive centres that go here
No operator lists Tura Head publicly. Merimbula Divers Lodge offers accommodation at Tura Beach and may dive local reefs on request.
Operators recorded for Tura Head
Other dive centres in Merimbula
Dive Eden
ProfiledEden · Merimbula · NSW
An Eden operator running boat, wreck, wharf and cave dives around Twofold Bay, with Try Scuba to Advanced courses and studio accommodation near Cocora Beach.
diveeden.com.au · 0410 026 990
Sapphire Coast Scuba
ProfiledEden · Merimbula · NSW
An Eden-based operation offering PADI Open Water training, guided dives for certified divers, equipment hire and air fills.
sapphirecoastscuba.com · 0488 519 316
Wilderness Sea n' Ski
ListedLiverpool · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
A far south coast business providing equipment and dive services. Range and training availability require verification.
wilderness.net.au · (02) 9822 4112
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Tura Head: frequently asked questions
What certification do I need to dive Tura Head?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of cold water.
Can I shore dive Tura Head?
Experienced divers do dive Tura Head from the shore, but the entry or conditions make it unsuitable for newer divers without local guidance. Entry: Rock entry in flat seas; or giant stride from boat.
When is the best time to dive Tura Head?
Calm periods, autumn and winter westerlies.
What marine life will I see at Tura Head?
Regularly recorded: Expected: blue groper, red morwong, sweep, yellowtail, leatherjackets, wrasse, eastern rock blackfish, wobbegongs, Port Jackson sharks, stingrays, weedy sea dragons, kelp and more.
What wetsuit do I need at Tura Head?
7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves, or drysuit, for most of the year; 5 mm only in late summer.
How cold is the water at Tura Head?
Typically 18–20 °C in summer and 12–14 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Tura Head?
Exposed rock entry; swell; bar crossing for boats. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Tura Head?
Prince of Wales Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (Randwick, Sydney). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Merimbula
Merimbula has the Pinnacles, a boat dive with towering rock formations, sponges and schooling fish, and the Merimbula Wharf, a shallow, sheltered shore dive under the pier that is a local favourite for octopus, seahorses and night diving. The Empire Gladstone wreck lies just to the south near Haycock Point.
Getting there: Six hours from Sydney or a flight to Merimbula. A local dive shop runs boat dives; the wharf is a walk-in shore dive with parking.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: No dive source; depths removed; coordinates approximate.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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