New South Wales · 21 sites
Tweed & Byron Bay dive sites
Julian Rocks, 2.5 km off Byron Bay, is the most biodiverse dive site in NSW: turtles by the dozen, wobbegongs stacked in the caves, grey nurse sharks in winter, leopard sharks and manta rays in summer, and more than 1,000 recorded species. The Cod Hole, the Nursery and Hugo's Trench are the classic circuits. Cook Island off Tweed Heads has similar life on a smaller scale.
- Sites
- 21
- Wrecks
- 1
- Shore
- 1
- Boat
- 17
- Beginner
- 5
- Deepest
- 30 m
Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026
Written 27 September 2026Julian Rocks in spring: grey nurse sharks still in the Cod Hole until about November, leopard sharks and mantas not yet back, 20–21 °C water and the clearest conditions of the year on westerly mornings. Humpbacks pass the Cape daily through October.
Getting there
Byron Bay is two hours south of Brisbane or a short flight to Ballina. Dive shops in Byron run several trips a day to Julian Rocks, launched off the beach at the Pass; Tweed Heads shops cover Cook Island.
When to go
Year-round. June to October for grey nurse sharks and clear water; January to May for leopard sharks, mantas and 24 °C water.
Water & suit
Summer 21-26 °C · winter 18-21 °C. 3-5 mm full suit summer, 5-7 mm or semi-dry with hood winter
Nearest chamber: Gold Coast University Hospital (Southport) hyperbaric unit; Wesley Hospital (Brisbane) for complex cases
Most recorded marine life in Tweed & Byron Bay
- Wobbegongs 16
- Turtles 14
- Nudibranchs 8
- Kingfish 6
- Moray eels 6
- Bull rays 5
- Eagle rays 5
- Grey nurse sharks (winter) 5
- Small reef fish 5
- Blue groper 4
- Bullseyes 3
- Green and loggerhead turtles 3
- Leopard sharks (summer) 3
- Sponges 3
Plan a dive trip to Tweed & Byron Bay →Find your diveCompare the top 4 side by sideNew diver? Start here
The most-dived sites in Tweed & Byron Bay
Suggested trip
A 3-day dive trip to Tweed & Byron Bay
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 Tweed & Byron Bay plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →Day 1 · Settle in
Start with Tweed & Byron Bay's easier shore dives: check your weighting, get used to the water temperature and dive the sheltered side of the coast.
- Tweed River – Jack Evans Boat Harbour / Rock WallShore/Rock Platform · Max 12 m · Open Water
- Cape Byron headland divesShore/Rock Platform · Max 8 m · Snorkel/Any
Day 2 · The signature dives
A charter day on the sites people travel to Tweed & Byron Bay for, including the main wreck.
- Julian Rocks – Tricky'sReef · Max 18 m · Open Water
- Julian Rocks – Cray CaveCave/Cavern · Max 25 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 Tweed & Byron Bay.
- Nine Mile ReefReef · Max 30 m · Advanced Open Water
- Spot XPinnacle/Bommie · Max 24 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive centres and charters in Tweed & Byron Bay
All New South Wales operators →Operators recorded as running sites in this region. Each profile lists the specific sites it goes to.
Sundive Byron Bay
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Byron Bay · Tweed & Byron Bay · NSW
Byron Bay's PADI 5 Star dive centre, running three daily departures to Nguthungulli Julian Rocks with training from Try Scuba to Divemaster.
sundive.com.au · (02) 6685 7755
TrainingDestinationCharterPADI9 services16 sites
Byron Bay Dive Centre
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Byron Bay · Tweed & Byron Bay · NSW
Byron Bay's original dive centre, running daily Julian Rocks dive and snorkel trips from The Pass with PADI and SSI training and an onsite pool.
byronbaydivecentre.com.au · 0494 094 915
TrainingDestinationCharterPADISSI6 services14 sites
Gold Coast Dive Adventures
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Runaway Bay · Gold Coast · QLD
A Gold Coast operation focused on guided local diving and charter access to offshore sites.
goldcoastdiveadventures.com.au · 0404 286 599
CharterTraining2 services40 sites
Gold Coast Dive Centre
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Miami · Gold Coast · QLD
A Gold Coast training and service business serving local divers and visitors.
goldcoastdivecentre.com.au · (07) 5572 0511
TrainingFull service4 services2 sites
Kirra Dive
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Tweed Heads · Tweed & Byron Bay · NSW
Trades as Kirra Dive 'On the Tweed'.
kirradive.com · (07) 5536 6622
6 sites
Map of Tweed & Byron Bay dive sites
Click a pin for the site. 4 sites without published coordinates are not shown.
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17 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
All 21 Tweed & Byron Bay dive sites
All Tweed & Byron Bay sites at a glance
21 sites in Tweed & Byron Bay · click a column to sort
| Broken Head reefs | Reef | Max 16 m | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Rare |
| Cape Byron headland dives | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 8 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Occasional |
| Cook Island – Northern Ledge | Island | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Cook Island – Southern Aquarium | Island | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Duranbah | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 10 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| Fido's Reef | Reef | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Julian Rocks – Cod Hole | Cave/Cavern | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – Cray Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 25 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – Hugo's Trench | Reef | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – Mackerel Boulder | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 17 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – Rock Cod Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – Split Bommie | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 12 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – The Needles | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 15 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – The Nursery | Reef | Max 12 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – The Trench | Reef | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Julian Rocks – Tricky's | Reef | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Daily |
| Kingscliff Reef | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Occasional |
| Lennox Head Reef | Reef | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Nine Mile Reef | Reef | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Spot X | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat | Rare |
| Tweed River – Jack Evans Boat Harbour / Rock Wall | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 12 m | Open Water | Shore | Weekly |
Tweed & Byron Bay diving FAQ
How do I get to the dive sites in Tweed & Byron Bay?
Byron Bay is two hours south of Brisbane or a short flight to Ballina. Dive shops in Byron run several trips a day to Julian Rocks, launched off the beach at the Pass; Tweed Heads shops cover Cook Island.
When is the best time to dive Tweed & Byron Bay?
Year-round. June to October for grey nurse sharks and clear water; January to May for leopard sharks, mantas and 24 °C water.
How many dive sites are there in Tweed & Byron Bay?
21 documented sites, including 1 wreck and 1 that can be dived independently from the shore. The deepest reaches 30 m.
Are there beginner dive sites in Tweed & Byron Bay?
Yes, 5 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 Tweed & Byron Bay?
Typically 21-26 °C in summer and 18-21 °C in winter. Most divers wear 3-5 mm full suit summer, 5-7 mm or semi-dry with hood winter.
Which dive centres operate in Tweed & Byron Bay?
Sundive Byron Bay, Byron Bay Dive Centre, Gold Coast Dive Adventures, Gold Coast Dive Centre, Kirra Dive are recorded as running sites in Tweed & Byron Bay. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Tweed & Byron Bay?
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.
Other regions in New South Wales