New South Wales · 52 sites
Sydney Northern Beaches dive sites
From Manly to Palm Beach the Northern Beaches are a string of headlands with reefs on their protected sides and open-ocean sites offshore. Shelly Beach at Manly is the classic Sydney shore dive, an aquatic reserve with blue gropers and dusky whalers in summer; Long Reef and the Apartments off Dee Why are boat dives with grey nurse sharks and a resident wobbegong population. The wreck of the Valiant off Palm Beach and the SS Tuggerah off Long Reef suit deeper divers.
- Sites
- 52
- Wrecks
- 15
- Shore
- 6
- Boat
- 37
- Beginner
- 12
- Deepest
- 55 m
Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026
Written 27 September 2026Shelly Beach is at its clearest of the year in the last of the westerlies, with 16–17 °C water and the dusky whalers not yet back. Long Reef, the Dee Why wrecks and the Barrens Hut charters run in the mornings; afternoon nor'easters chop up the shore sites from about midday.
Getting there
Shore sites at Manly, Fairlight, Freshwater, Long Reef and Palm Beach have parking and easy entries. Boats leave from Manly, Roseville and Pittwater.
When to go
Manly dives are best on north-east swell; the exposed headlands need southerly swell to drop. May to September usually gives the calmest, clearest water.
Water & suit
Summer 21-24 °C · winter 15-18 °C. 5 mm full suit in summer; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit May–October
Nearest chamber: Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney)
Most recorded marine life in Sydney Northern Beaches
- Wobbegongs 42
- Kingfish 27
- Blue groper 23
- Port jackson sharks 22
- Sponges 22
- Weedy sea dragons 21
- Octopus 19
- Cuttlefish 17
- Sea tulips 17
- Yellowtail 17
- Bull rays 15
- Giant cuttlefish 13
- Red morwong 13
- Bullseyes 12
Plan a dive trip to Sydney Northern Beaches →Find your diveCompare the top 4 side by sideNew diver? Start here
The most-dived sites in Sydney Northern Beaches
Suggested trip
A 3-day dive trip to Sydney Northern Beaches
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 Sydney Northern Beaches plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →Day 1 · Settle in
Start with Sydney Northern Beaches's easier shore dives: check your weighting, get used to the water temperature and dive the sheltered side of the coast.
- Shelly Beach / Cabbage Tree Bay (Manly)Shore/Rock Platform · Max 16 m · Open Water
- Fairy BowerShore/Rock Platform · Max 10 m · Open Water
Day 2 · The signature dives
A charter day on the sites people travel to Sydney Northern Beaches for, including the main wreck.
- Old Man's Hat (North Head)Reef · Max 26 m · Advanced Open Water
- Bluefish PointWall · Max 24 m · Advanced Open Water
Day 3 · Deeper or further
For divers with the certification and the weather: the deeper walls, pinnacles or less-visited sites of Sydney Northern Beaches.
- North Head Sponge GardensReef · Max 26 m · Advanced Open Water
- Runway 36 (North Head)Reef · Max 27 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive centres and charters in Sydney Northern Beaches
All New South Wales operators →Operators recorded as running sites in this region. Each profile lists the specific sites it goes to.
Abyss Scuba Diving
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Ramsgate · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
A Sydney operation associated with training across recreational and technical levels, boat diving and equipment services.
abyss.com.au · +61 2 9583 9662
Full serviceTechnicalTrainingPADI12 services122 sites
Frog Dive Sydney
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Gladesville · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
A Willoughby PADI 5 Star IDC founded in 1985, teaching recreational through Trimix and rebreather courses with PADI, SDI and TDI, and testing cylinders in-store.
frogdive.com.au · (02) 9958 5699
Full serviceTrainingTechnicalPADISDITDI16 services54 sites
Pro Dive Sydney
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
St Peters · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
Pro Dive's inner-Sydney training centre at Alexandria, close to Camp Cove, Clovelly, Gordons Bay and Bare Island, with courses to Divemaster, hire and servicing.
prodive.com.au · (02) 9665 6333
TrainingFull serviceRetail7 services47 sites
Dive Centre Manly
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Manly · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
A Northern Beaches operation with a long-standing presence at Shelly Beach, offering recreational training, boat diving and technical pathways.
divesydney.com.au · (02) 9977 4355
Full serviceTrainingTechnicalPADI12 services45 sites
Pro Dive Brookvale
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Brookvale · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
Pro Dive's Northern Beaches centre at Brookvale, running the 43-foot dive boat Sea Life V alongside courses, hire, air fills and servicing.
prodive.com.au · (02) 9977 5966
TrainingRetailCharter9 services41 sites
Dive Centre Bondi
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Bondi · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
An Eastern Suburbs PADI 5 Star IDC on Bondi Road teaching through Instructor and technical levels, with air, Nitrox and Trimix fills and manufacturer-approved servicing.
divebondi.com.au · +61 2 9369 3855
Full serviceTrainingTechnicalPADI12 services32 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
ADRENO Sydney
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Alexandria · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
The Sydney branch of Adreno, an 850-square-metre spearfishing, freediving and scuba store in Alexandria that also runs SSI scuba courses.
adreno.com.au · (02) 9669 6214
RetailTrainingSSI3 services
Geo Divers
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Clyde · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
A Sydney PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre running small-group courses with two PADI professionals, from Discover Scuba through Instructor training.
geodivers.com.au · (02) 9689 1389
TrainingRetailPADI9 services
Scuba Warehouse
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Clyde · Sydney South & Botany Bay · NSW
A Sydney equipment retailer. Whether training and in-house servicing are offered requires verification.
scubawarehouse.com.au · (02) 9689 1389
Retail1 services
Ocean Hut
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Narooma · Narooma & Montague Island · NSW
A Sydney dive equipment business. Retail range, servicing and training availability require verification.
(02) 4476 2278
Retail1 services
Sydney Dive Charters
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Rose Bay · Sydney Northern Beaches · NSW
Charter boat; departs Rose Bay, Little Manly, Careel Bay and Cronulla wharves.
sydneydivecharters.com.au · 0417 417 295
51 sites
Map of Sydney Northern Beaches dive sites
Click a pin for the site. 4 sites without published coordinates are not shown.
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48 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
All 52 Sydney Northern Beaches dive sites
All Sydney Northern Beaches sites at a glance
52 sites in Sydney Northern Beaches · click a column to sort
| Adamson Sponge Gardens | Reef | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Apollo Barge wreck | Wreck | Max 47 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Avalon (Little Av) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 10 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Barrenjoey Head / Palm Beach | Reef | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Bilgola Beach (northern headland) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 15 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Blue Moon (North Head) | Reef | Max 28 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Bluefish Point | Wall | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Bluefish Valley | Reef | Max 16 m | Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Bongin Bongin Bay (Mona Vale Basin) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 15 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Canoe Barge (Long Reef) | Wreck | Max 51 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Checkpoint Charlie (North Head) | Wall | Max 26 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Coolooli wreck | Wreck | Max 48 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Dee Why Point / Dee Why to Curl Curl reef (northern end) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 14 m | Advanced Open Water | Shore or Boat | Rare |
| Dee Why Wide (Advanced) | Reef | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Dee Why Wide (Deep) | Wall | Max 37 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat | Occasional |
| Doubt Reef | Reef | Max 45 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Fairfax Lookout (North Head) | Wall | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Fairy Bower | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 10 m | Open Water | Shore | Daily |
| Freshwater (Harbord) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 18 m | Open Water | Shore | Weekly |
| Gorgonia Grove (North Head) | Reef | Max 26 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Green Wheely Bin Reef (North Head) | Reef | Max 28 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Himma wreck | Wreck | Max 52 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| HMAS Doomba / Meggol wreck | Wreck | Max 49 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Hopper Barge 656 (Long Reef) | Wreck | Max 51 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| Long Reef Aquatic Reserve (shore) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 12 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Long Reef Wall | Wall | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| M24 Japanese midget submarine (protected zone – no diving) | Wreck | Max 55 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Expedition |
| Manly Beach (South Steyne – Queenscliff) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 8 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Manly Bommie | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 14 m | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Occasional |
| Mona Vale Headland | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 15 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| MV Bellubera wreck | Wreck | Max 46 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| North Curl Curl | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| North Head Sponge Gardens | Reef | Max 26 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Old Man's Hat (North Head) | Reef | Max 26 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Old Man's Shoulder (North Head) | Reef | Max 27 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Outer Flagstaff (North Head) | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Palm Beach (ocean side – rock pool and Kiddies Corner) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 16 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Palm Beach Baths / Barrenjoey Pittwater side | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 8 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Rare |
| Ray Alley (North Head) | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Red Indian Point | Reef | Max 23 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Runway 36 (North Head) | Reef | Max 27 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| Shelly Beach / Cabbage Tree Bay (Manly) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 16 m | Open Water | Shore | Daily |
| SS Birchgrove Park wreck | Wreck | Max 51 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| SS Dee Why (ferry) wreck | Wreck | Max 48 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| SS Duckenfield wreck | Wreck | Max 23 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| SS Myola wreck | Wreck | Max 50 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| The Apartments (Long Reef) | Reef | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Weekly |
| The Basin (Pittwater) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 6 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Rare |
| The Pinnacles – Bangalley Head | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| The Trio wreck | Wreck | Max 54 m | Technical (decompression) | Boat | Rare |
| The Valiant wreck | Wreck | Max 27 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| The Waterfall (North Head) | Reef | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
Sydney Northern Beaches diving FAQ
How do I get to the dive sites in Sydney Northern Beaches?
Shore sites at Manly, Fairlight, Freshwater, Long Reef and Palm Beach have parking and easy entries. Boats leave from Manly, Roseville and Pittwater.
When is the best time to dive Sydney Northern Beaches?
Manly dives are best on north-east swell; the exposed headlands need southerly swell to drop. May to September usually gives the calmest, clearest water.
How many dive sites are there in Sydney Northern Beaches?
52 documented sites, including 15 wrecks and 6 that can be dived independently from the shore. The deepest reaches 55 m.
Are there beginner dive sites in Sydney Northern Beaches?
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 Sydney Northern Beaches?
Typically 21-24 °C in summer and 15-18 °C in winter. Most divers wear 5 mm full suit in summer; 7 mm semi-dry or drysuit May–October.
Which dive centres operate in Sydney Northern Beaches?
Abyss Scuba Diving, Frog Dive Sydney, Pro Dive Sydney, Dive Centre Manly, Pro Dive Brookvale, Dive Centre Bondi and others are recorded as running sites in Sydney Northern Beaches. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Sydney Northern Beaches?
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney). In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Other regions in New South Wales