New South Wales · 44 sites
Central Coast dive sites
The Central Coast's headline is the ex-HMAS Adelaide, a 138 m frigate scuttled off Avoca in 2011 that is now one of the busiest wreck dives in the country. Around it are the reefs and caves of Terrigal Haven, Foggy's Cave and the Skillion, the shore dive at Terrigal, and the grey nurse gutters at the Pinnacles off Bangalley Head.
- Sites
- 44
- Wrecks
- 12
- Shore
- 5
- Boat
- 35
- Beginner
- 12
- Deepest
- 51 m
Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026
Written 27 September 2026The ex-HMAS Adelaide runs daily from Terrigal when the swell is under about 1.5 m, which in spring is most days; water 16–17 °C and visibility 10–15 m on the wreck. Shore sites at Terrigal Haven and the Skillion work on westerlies.
Getting there
Ninety minutes north of Sydney. Charters from Terrigal Haven run the Adelaide daily in season; Terrigal Haven itself is a sheltered shore dive with parking on the beachfront.
When to go
Late summer to autumn for the warmest water and settled seas; the Adelaide is dived year-round when the swell is under about 1.5 m.
Water & suit
Summer 20-23 °C · winter 14-17 °C. 5 mm steamer/full suit in summer; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit June-October
Nearest chamber: Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney)
Most recorded marine life in Central Coast
- Yellowtail 26
- Wobbegong sharks 23
- Silver sweep 21
- Red morwong 20
- Sponges 17
- Bullseyes 13
- Eastern blue groper 13
- Nudibranchs 13
- One-spot pullers 12
- Ascidians 9
- Cuttlefish 9
- Luderick 8
- Kingfish 7
- Mado 7
Plan a dive trip to Central Coast →Find your diveCompare the top 4 side by sideNew diver? Start here
The most-dived sites in Central Coast
Suggested trip
A 3-day dive trip to Central Coast
Built from the sites in this region: an easy start, the signature dives, then something deeper or further. Swap days around the weather; the site pages say which winds and swell close each one.
Build your own Central Coast plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →Day 1 · Settle in
Start with Central Coast's easier shore dives: check your weighting, get used to the water temperature and dive the sheltered side of the coast.
- Terrigal HavenShore/Rock Platform · Max 15 m · Open Water
- Toowoon Bay (Little Bay)Shore/Rock Platform · Max 6 m · Snorkel/Any
Day 2 · The signature dives
A charter day on the sites people travel to Central Coast for, including ex-HMAS Adelaide.
- The Pinnacle (Bateau Bay)Pinnacle/Bommie · Max 24 m · Advanced Open Water
- ex-HMAS AdelaideWreck · Max 32 m · Deep/Advanced + experience
Day 3 · Deeper or further
For divers with the certification and the weather: the deeper walls, pinnacles or less-visited sites of Central Coast.
- Foggy's CaveCave/Cavern · Max 39 m · Deep/Advanced + experience
- Foggy Fish (Foggy Reef shallow)Reef · Max 32 m · Deep/Advanced + experience
Dive centres and charters in Central Coast
All New South Wales operators →Operators recorded as running sites in this region. Each profile lists the specific sites it goes to.
Dive Newcastle
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Beresfield · 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
Full serviceTrainingRetailRAID7 services28 sites
Central Coast Divers
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Killarney Vale · Central Coast · NSW
An SSI Instructor Training Facility at Killarney Vale with two full-time Instructor Trainers, onsite servicing for all major brands, and freediving courses.
centralcoastdivers.com.au · +61 2 4389 3483
Full serviceTrainingSSI11 services25 sites
Terrigal Dive Centre
ProfiledUnconfirmed
Terrigal · Central Coast · NSW
A dive shop on the waterside at Terrigal Haven, running boat and wreck dives including the ex-HMAS Adelaide, a few minutes offshore.
+61 2 4384 1219
Full serviceTrainingCharter7 services1 site
Pro Dive Central Coast
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Killarney Vale · Central Coast · NSW
Independent SSI centre (formerly Central Coast Divers), not part of the PRO DIVE Sydney chain.
prodivecentralcoast.com.au · (02) 4389 3483
33 sites
Terrigal Underwater Group
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Terrigal · Central Coast · NSW
Dive club, not a shop.
terrigalunderwatergroup.com · (02) 4324 0064
29 sites
Norah Head Divers Depot
Named by sitesUnconfirmed
Norah Head · Central Coast · NSW
No trace of any business by this name at Norah Head.
11 sites
Map of Central Coast dive sites
Click a pin for the site. 16 sites without published coordinates are not shown.
Loading map…
28 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
All 44 Central Coast dive sites
All Central Coast sites at a glance
44 sites in Central Coast · click a column to sort
| 5 Mile Reef (Terrigal) | Reef | Max 38 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Rare |
| Anniversary Reef Wall | Wall | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Boat Trailer Reef | Reef | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Bonito Reef | Reef | Max 25 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Cabbage Tree Bay (Norah Head) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 9 m | Open Water | Shore | Weekly |
| Corinne's Canyon (Norah Head) | Wall | Max 33 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Rare |
| ex-HMAS Adelaide | Wreck | Max 32 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Weekly |
| Fifeshire Reef (North Avoca) | Reef | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| First Point (Terrigal) | Wall | Max 26 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Foggy Fish (Foggy Reef shallow) | Reef | Max 32 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Weekly |
| Foggy's Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 39 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Weekly |
| Forresters Reef | Reef | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Inner Bommies (Norah Head) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Jeffs Reef | Reef | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Jew Grounds (Terrigal) | Reef | Max 36 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Rare |
| Lighthouse Reef (Norah Head) | Wall | Max 19 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Lion Island (Broken Bay) | Island | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Lobster Beach (Wagstaffe) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 6 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Rare |
| Outer Bommies (Norah Head) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 32 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Rare |
| PJ Cove (Entrance Bommies) | Reef | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| PS Maitland wreck (Maitland Bay) | Wreck | Max 5 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Rare |
| San Francisco Reef (Avoca) | Reef | Max 35 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Rare |
| Silver Drummer Wall | Wall | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Skillion Cave (Terrigal) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Shore or Boat | Weekly |
| Snapper Point / Bongon Beach (Munmorah) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 12 m | Advanced Open Water | Shore | Occasional |
| Spoon Bay Reef (Wamberal) | Reef | Max 17 m | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Occasional |
| SS Commonwealth wreck (Foggy Reef) | Wreck | Max 42 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| SS Galava wreck | Wreck | Max 51 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| SS Kiama wreck | Wreck | Max 47 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| SS Paterson wreck (Cabbage Tree Bay area) | Wreck | Max 10 m | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| SS Speedwell wreck | Wreck | Max 14 m | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| SS Yambacoomba wreck | Wreck | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Sweep City | Reef | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Terrigal Haven | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 15 m | Open Water | Shore | Daily |
| Terrigal Reef / SS Lord Ashley | Reef | Max 12 m | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Rare |
| The Boulders (Norah Head) | Wall | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| The Bull / Bull Rocks (Norah Head) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| The Pines (Terrigal) | Reef | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| The Pinnacle (Bateau Bay) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| The Three Sisters (Norah Head) | Reef | Max 30 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Rare |
| Toowoon Bay (Little Bay) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 6 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Weekly |
| TSS Hall Caine wreck | Wreck | Max 45 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| TSS Nerong wreck | Wreck | Max 45 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Two Poles (Terrigal) | Reef | Max 19 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
Central Coast diving FAQ
How do I get to the dive sites in Central Coast?
Ninety minutes north of Sydney. Charters from Terrigal Haven run the Adelaide daily in season; Terrigal Haven itself is a sheltered shore dive with parking on the beachfront.
When is the best time to dive Central Coast?
Late summer to autumn for the warmest water and settled seas; the Adelaide is dived year-round when the swell is under about 1.5 m.
How many dive sites are there in Central Coast?
44 documented sites, including 12 wrecks and 5 that can be dived independently from the shore. The deepest reaches 51 m.
Are there beginner dive sites in Central Coast?
Yes, 12 sites are rated beginner. Look for the green Beginner tag in the list below, and check the weather notes on each page before diving.
How cold is the water in Central Coast?
Typically 20-23 °C in summer and 14-17 °C in winter. Most divers wear 5 mm steamer/full suit in summer; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit June-October.
Which dive centres operate in Central Coast?
Dive Newcastle, Central Coast Divers, Terrigal Dive Centre, Pro Dive Central Coast, Terrigal Underwater Group, Norah Head Divers Depot are recorded as running sites in Central Coast. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Central Coast?
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
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