Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Yacaaba Head reef
Port Stephens, New South Wales · near Hawks Nest
| Depth | 6–20 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Shore or Boat |
| Entry | Rock entry from the headland in calm conditions, or boat mooring off the point |
| Current | Variable/Tidal |
| Visibility | 8-20 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 | Autumn–winter for clearest water |
| Bottom time | 40 min |
| Position | -32.71000, 152.14500 (approximate) |
| 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 |
Yacaaba Head reef
Also known as Yacaaba Head
A less-dived headland reef opposite Tomaree Head at the Port Stephens entrance, offering an alternative to the busier southern-side sites.
Near Hawks Nest · Port Stephens, New South Wales
- Depth
- 6–20 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Boat ride
- ~20 min
- Water
- 22-25 °C
- Visibility
- 8-20 m
Yacaaba Head reef6–20 m · Advanced Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: March, April, May, June, July, August.
Autumn–winter for clearest water
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 6–20 m
- Typical depth
- 14 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Offshore
- 3 km
- Dive centre needed
- Recommended
- Shore / independent
- Possible (experienced only)
- Boat ride
- ~20 min
- Current
- Variable/Tidal
- Visibility
- 8-20 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
Port Stephens — Yacaaba Head · Hunter — Port Stephens/Nelson Bay
-32.71000, 152.14500
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsMarine 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 Yacaaba Head reef →
A day-by-day plan for Port Stephens 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
Yacaaba Head reef is a reef shore dive for experienced divers in Port Stephens, NSW, 6–20 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, variable/tidal current, about 20 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m, tidal current that must be timed.
Why dive here
- A less-dived headland reef opposite Tomaree Head at the Port Stephens entrance, offering an alternative to the busier southern-side sites.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
- Visibility often reaches 8-20 m.
About Yacaaba Head reef
Yacaaba Head forms the northern arm of the Port Stephens entrance, facing Tomaree Head across the harbour mouth from the Hawks Nest side, and its fringing rocky reef offers a less-dived alternative to the well-established sites clustered around Nelson Bay on the southern shore. The headland is a well-known bushwalking destination with a track to its summit, but the underwater side of Yacaaba sees comparatively little dedicated dive traffic, reflecting both its greater distance from the main Nelson Bay dive centres and its more exposed, tidally-influenced position right at the harbour mouth. Marine life follows the general Port Stephens temperate pattern, with the reef supporting typical fish and invertebrate species in a moderate depth range broadly comparable to the area's other headland sites.
Because the site sits at the confluence of ocean swell and the tidal flow in and out of Port Stephens, conditions here can be more variable and changeable than at the sheltered inner-harbour sites like Fly Point, and a calm day with a favourable tide is needed for either the shore-entry option or a comfortable boat dive. Yacaaba Head is best regarded as an occasional variation for local divers and operators looking to explore beyond the standard Nelson Bay rotation, rather than a site with the established reputation or documentation of Fly Point, Halifax Park or the Broughton Island group, and visiting divers should treat any specific details here as indicative rather than confirmed. Anyone drawn to it mainly for the walk to the summit should treat a dive here as a pleasant bonus rather than the main reason for the trip.
Getting there & entry
A rocky headland at the northern entrance to Port Stephens, opposite Tomaree Head, with a fringing reef reachable by boat and, in calm conditions, from the adjoining beach.
Yacaaba Head is reached via Winda Woppa Road from Hawks Nest, with a walking track leading to the headland. A rock entry is possible on very calm days for experienced divers, though most diving here is by boat from Nelson Bay, crossing the harbour entrance to the northern side, a run of around 20-30 minutes.
Entry: Rock entry from the headland in calm conditions, or boat mooring off the point
Facilities: Walking track and limited parking at Winda Woppa/Yacaaba Head reserve, Hawks Nest.
Weather, swell & tides
Yacaaba Head sits at the harbour entrance and experiences tidal flow in addition to ocean swell exposure — best dived on a calm day around slack tide; conditions can change quickly given the site's exposed position opposite Tomaree Head.
Best season: Autumn–winter for clearest water
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Yacaaba Head reef doesn't.
- Fly Point · 1 km · Max 22 m
- Halifax Park (Nelson Bay) · 1 km · Max 26 m
- The Pipeline (Nelson Bay) · 1 km · Max 18 m
- Little Beach (Nelson Bay) · 2 km · Max 20 m
How the dive is usually run
Enter from the headland rocks on a very calm day or from a boat mooring off the point, working the fringing reef at 6-20 m for typical Port Stephens temperate reef species, being mindful of tidal flow given the site's position at the harbour entrance.
Marine life
- General Port Stephens temperate reef fish and invertebrates
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 14 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
Tidal flow at the harbour entrance in addition to ocean swell exposure — dive only in calm conditions around slack tide.
Dive centres that go here
Occasionally included by Nelson Bay operators as an alternative to the more heavily dived southern-side sites; more commonly dived by private boat.
Other dive centres in Port Stephens
Dive Newcastle
ProfiledBeresfield · Port Stephens · NSW
A Beresfield dive superstore teaching RAID courses, with air fills, servicing, rental and a large scuba, freediving and spearfishing range.
neptunesports.com.au · (02) 4966 4900
Grey Nurse Charters
ProfiledNelson Bay · Port Stephens · NSW
A PADI-registered dive boat running charters around Port Stephens, Newcastle and Swansea, with PADI courses to Divemaster and TecRec.
greynurse.com.au · 0408 633 793
Feet First Dive
ProfiledNelson Bay · Port Stephens · NSW
A Nelson Bay SSI centre running Broughton Island boat dives and Port Stephens shore dives, with rebreather and Extended Range training.
feetfirstdive.com.au · (02) 4984 2092
Dive Swansea
ProfiledSwansea · Port Stephens · NSW
An SSI Instructor Training Center 60 metres from the Swansea Bridge shore dive, with boat trips to Moon Island and rebreather and Extended Range training.
diveswansea.com.au · (02) 4972 0940
Let's Go Adventures
Reported closedNelson Bay · Port Stephens · NSW
letsgoadventures.com.au is now a parked domain listed for sale.
All dive centres in New South Wales →
Operators mentioned: Private boat / occasional Nelson Bay charters
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views


Yacaaba Head reef: frequently asked questions
How deep is Yacaaba Head reef?
Yacaaba Head reef reaches a maximum depth of 20 m, with the shallowest part at about 6 m; most of the dive is spent around 14 m.
What certification do I need to dive Yacaaba Head reef?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Open Water divers can dive the shallower section (typical depth 14 m); the full site to 20 m needs Advanced Open Water. Operators often quote Open Water. Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m, tidal current that must be timed.
Can I shore dive Yacaaba Head reef?
Experienced divers do dive Yacaaba Head reef from the shore, but the entry or conditions make it unsuitable for newer divers without local guidance. Entry: Rock entry from the headland in calm conditions, or boat mooring off the point.
When is the best time to dive Yacaaba Head reef?
Autumn–winter for clearest water.
What marine life will I see at Yacaaba Head reef?
Regularly recorded: General Port Stephens temperate reef fish and invertebrates.
What wetsuit do I need at Yacaaba Head reef?
3-5 mm steamer summer; 5-7 mm full suit or semi-dry winter.
How cold is the water at Yacaaba Head reef?
Typically 22-25 °C in summer and 17-20 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Yacaaba Head reef?
Tidal flow at the harbour entrance in addition to ocean swell exposure — dive only in calm conditions around slack tide. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Yacaaba Head reef?
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 Port Stephens
Port Stephens has two personalities. Inside the port, Fly Point and Halifax Park at Nelson Bay are world-class shore dives on the slack tide, with sponge gardens, frogfish, seahorses and huge schools of fish under a shipping channel. Outside, Broughton Island and Cabbage Tree Island have grey nurse shark gutters, caves and seals.
Getting there: Two and a half hours north of Sydney. Nelson Bay has several dive shops; Fly Point and Halifax have car parks and stair entries. Broughton Island is 40 minutes by boat.










