Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Yamba Bommie
Yamba & Iluka, New South Wales · near Yamba
| Depth | 12–25 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Advanced Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Giant stride from boat onto the bommie mooring |
| Current | Moderate |
| Visibility | 8-20 m |
| Water | summer 22-26 °C, winter 19-22 °C |
| Suit | 3-5 mm full suit |
| Best season | Winter for grey nurse sharks and clearer water |
| Bottom time | 35 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | Cape Byron Marine Park / Solitary Islands Marine Park zoning applies – check current sanctuary/habitat protection zone boundaries before diving or spearfishing |
| Nearest chamber | Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport) hyperbaric unit; Wesley Hospital (Brisbane) for complex cases |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Yamba Bommie
A distinct offshore bommie south of the Clarence River mouth, Yamba Dive's go-to structure dive for a concentrated big-fish encounter.
Near Yamba · Yamba & Iluka, New South Wales
- Depth
- 12–25 m
- Minimum level
- Advanced Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- ~22 min
- Water
- 22-26 °C
- Visibility
- 8-20 m
Yamba Bommie12–25 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: June, July, August.
Winter for grey nurse sharks and clearer water
- Best months
- Now (November)
- Stinger suit Nov–May
Dive facts
- Depth
- 12–25 m
- Typical depth
- 18 m
- Certification
- Advanced Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Advanced Open Water (18–30 m)
- Access
- Boat
- Offshore
- 4 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~22 min
- Current
- Moderate
- Visibility
- 8-20 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-26 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 19-22 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 35 min
- Dive traffic
- Moderate (occasional charters/club dives)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
3-5 mm full suit
Location
Yamba offshore · NSW North Coast – Yamba/Iluka
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from documented sites across the Yamba & Iluka region.
Primary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
Cape Byron Marine Park / Solitary Islands Marine Park zoning applies – check current sanctuary/habitat protection zone boundaries before diving or spearfishing
Nearest recompression chamber
Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport) hyperbaric unit; Wesley Hospital (Brisbane) for complex cases
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Yamba Bommie →
A day-by-day plan for Yamba & Iluka 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
Yamba Bommie is a pinnacle / bommie boat dive in Yamba & Iluka, NSW, 12–25 m, suited to Advanced Open Water divers, moderate current, about 22 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m.
Why dive here
- A distinct offshore bommie south of the Clarence River mouth, Yamba Dive's go-to structure dive for a concentrated big-fish encounter.
- Visibility often reaches 8-20 m.
About Yamba Bommie
Yamba Bommie is one of the named individual moorings within Yamba Dive's broader offshore reef grounds south of the Clarence River mouth, a distinct rock pinnacle rising from the sand that the operator treats as a specific destination rather than simply part of the general 'Yamba offshore reefs' area. Depths run from about 12 m at the bommie's shallowest point down to 25 m at its base, giving Advanced Open Water divers a compact, self-contained dive with real vertical relief. As with the broader Yamba/Angourie reef system, the bommie holds a typical subtropical mix of kingfish and mulloway working the current around its base, wobbegong sharks tucked into ledges partway up the structure, and turtles moving past on their way along the coast.
Grey nurse sharks are a realistic winter prospect here as they are on the neighbouring reefs and pinnacles, part of the same loose chain of aggregation sites running from the Tweed border down through Yamba to the internationally significant Solitary Islands habitat further south. Because it is a single, well-defined structure rather than a sprawling reef system, Yamba Bommie is a popular choice when Yamba Dive wants a straightforward, current-influenced dive with a clear beginning and end rather than a longer drift across open reef, and it is often the site chosen for divers wanting the best chance of a concentrated big-fish encounter in a single dive. As with the rest of the Yamba grounds, a trip here depends on successfully crossing the Clarence River bar and on swell conditions holding within the operator's comfort range.
Getting there & entry
A specific offshore bommie among the Yamba/Angourie reef system, rising from the sand and separately named from the broader pinnacle/Freeburn Island reef grounds, used by Yamba Dive as a dedicated mooring.
Charters depart Yamba Marina; Yamba Bommie is one of several individual moorings within the operator's broader offshore reef grounds south of the Clarence River mouth, roughly 20-25 minutes out.
Entry: Giant stride from boat onto the bommie mooring
Weather, swell & tides
Exposed to easterly and south-easterly swell like the rest of the Yamba offshore grounds; the Clarence River bar must be crossed to reach it, and visibility can drop after Clarence River floods even this far out.
Best season: Winter for grey nurse sharks and clearer water
How the dive is usually run
Descend the mooring onto the bommie top around 12-15 m, circle down to the sand at 20-25 m looking for grey nurse sharks and kingfish, and ascend along the bommie for the safety stop.
Marine life
- Grey nurse sharks (seasonal) →
- kingfish
- mulloway
- wobbegongs →
- turtles →
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.
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
Clarence River bar crossing required; moderate current around the bommie base; depth to 25 m.
Dive centres that go here
Yamba Dive includes Yamba Bommie as one of its standard offshore moorings, run on demand as conditions allow.
Operators recorded for Yamba Bommie
General area
No position has been published for Yamba Bommie. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from documented sites across the Yamba & Iluka region. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 6 km), from documented sites across the Yamba & Iluka region. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Yamba Bommie: frequently asked questions
How deep is Yamba Bommie?
Yamba Bommie reaches a maximum depth of 25 m, with the shallowest part at about 12 m; most of the dive is spent around 18 m.
What certification do I need to dive Yamba Bommie?
Advanced Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of depth beyond 18 m.
Can I shore dive Yamba Bommie?
No, it is reached by boat (about 22 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Yamba Bommie?
Winter for grey nurse sharks and clearer water.
What marine life will I see at Yamba Bommie?
Regularly recorded: Grey nurse sharks (seasonal), kingfish, mulloway, wobbegongs, turtles.
What wetsuit do I need at Yamba Bommie?
3-5 mm full suit.
How cold is the water at Yamba Bommie?
Typically 22-26 °C in summer and 19-22 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Yamba Bommie?
Clarence River bar crossing required; moderate current around the bommie base; depth to 25 m. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Yamba Bommie?
Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport) hyperbaric unit; Wesley Hospital (Brisbane) for complex cases. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Yamba & Iluka
The Clarence River mouth splits Yamba and Iluka, and both have breakwall and reef dives on the rising tide, plus the Iluka Bluff and the offshore Solitary-style reefs of the Yamba coast. The area is quiet and locally dived.
Getting there: Three hours south of Brisbane. Shore entries at the breakwalls; occasional charters from Yamba.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Exact GPS and whether this is a permanently named mooring or a general term need confirmation with Yamba Dive.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
More pinnacle/bommie dives in New South Wales
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Marine life










