Tasmania · 26 sites
Hobart & Derwent dive sites
Hobart has the Tinderbox Marine Reserve, with its snorkel trail, weedy seadragons and easy shore access, the Derwent's wrecks and the Alma dredge, the Blackmans Bay and Kingston reefs, and the Iron Pot at the river mouth. Water is 11–17 °C and visibility improves quickly downstream of the city.
- Sites
- 26
- Wrecks
- 12
- Shore
- 9
- Boat
- 15
- Beginner
- 10
- Deepest
- 35 m
Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026
Written 27 September 2026Tinderbox, Blackmans Bay and the Derwent shore sites are diveable between fronts in 11–12 °C water, clearest on the calm days after a high-pressure system. February–May is the settled season; drysuit now.
Getting there
All within 30–40 minutes of the city with shore entries; Hobart dive shops run charters and hire drysuits.
When to go
February to May for the warmest, most settled conditions.
Water & suit
Summer 14-18 °C · winter 9-12 °C. Drysuit strongly recommended year-round; 7 mm semi-dry or two-piece 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is the minimum in summer
Nearest chamber: Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200
Most recorded marine life in Hobart & Derwent
- Leatherjackets 17
- Sponges 13
- Crabs 12
- Wrasse 10
- Octopus 7
- Schooling fish 7
- Jewel anemones 6
- Sea squirts 6
- Encrusting invertebrates 5
- Sea stars 5
- Ascidians 4
- Bastard trumpeter 4
- Flathead 4
- Southern rock lobster 4
Plan a dive trip to Hobart & Derwent →Find your diveCompare the top 4 side by sideNew diver? Start here
The most-dived sites in Hobart & Derwent
Suggested trip
A 3-day dive trip to Hobart & Derwent
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 Hobart & Derwent plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →Day 1 · Settle in
Start with Hobart & Derwent's easier shore dives: check your weighting, get used to the water temperature and dive the sheltered side of the coast.
- Tinderbox Marine ReserveShore/Rock Platform · Max 12 m · Open Water
- Kingston Beach (Handfish site)Muck/Sand · Max 8 m · Open Water
Day 2 · The signature dives
A charter day on the sites people travel to Hobart & Derwent for, including the main wreck.
- Betsey IslandIsland · Max 25 m · Advanced Open Water
- Iron Pot ReefIsland · Max 15 m · Open Water
Day 3 · Deeper or further
For divers with the certification and the weather: the deeper walls, pinnacles or less-visited sites of Hobart & Derwent.
- SS Lake IllawarraWreck · Max 35 m · Wreck specialty recommended
- Betsey Island Graveyard – ANM Barges & Floating Bridge SectionsArtificial Reef · Max 20 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive centres and charters in Hobart & Derwent
All Tasmania operators →Operators recorded as running sites in this region. Each profile lists the specific sites it goes to.
Tasmania Tech and Dive Centre
ProfiledUnconfirmed
Hobart & Derwent · TAS
The Tasmanian operation most clearly associated with technical diving services, spanning recreational and technical training with technical gas support.
TechnicalFull serviceTrainingSDITDI9 services
Go Dive Tasmania
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Hobart · Hobart & Derwent · TAS
A Tasmanian business providing training, equipment and service support for cold-water diving.
godivetas.com.au · (03) 6231 9749
Full serviceTrainingRetail6 services123 sites
Tasmanian Divers North
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Launceston · Tasmania North & North-West · TAS
A northern Tasmanian operation serving the Bass Strait coastline and local diving community.
tasdivers.com.au · (03) 6229 1020
TrainingFull service3 services100 sites
Tasmanian Divers South
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Kingston · Hobart & Derwent · TAS
A southern Tasmanian operation serving the Hobart region and surrounding diving.
tasdivers.com.au · (03) 6229 1020
TrainingFull service3 services
The Dive Shop Hobart
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Hobart · Hobart & Derwent · TAS
A Hobart equipment and service business supporting local cold-water divers.
thediveshophobart.com.au · (03) 6234 3428
RetailFull service4 services
Underwater Adventures Tasmania
Reported closedBattery Point · Bruny Island & D'Entrecasteaux Channel · TAS
Reported permanently closed on Tripadvisor; last reviews 2013; formerly ran from Battery Point jetty (underwateradventures.com.au).
18 sites
Map of Hobart & Derwent dive sites
Click a pin for the site. 8 sites without published coordinates are not shown.
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18 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
All 26 Hobart & Derwent dive sites
All Hobart & Derwent sites at a glance
26 sites in Hobart & Derwent · click a column to sort
| Bellerive Beach | Muck/Sand | Max 6 m | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Rare |
| Betsey Island | Island | Max 25 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Betsey Island Graveyard – ANM Barges & Floating Bridge Sections | Artificial Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| Blackmans Bay | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 12 m | Open Water | Shore | Weekly |
| Droughty Point | Reef | Max 10 m | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| Droughty Point Floating Bridge Section | Artificial Reef | Max 28 m | Wreck specialty recommended | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| Glenvar Beach (Opossum Bay) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 3 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Rare |
| Hobart Wharves | Jetty/Pier | Max 12 m | Advanced Open Water | Shore or Boat | Rare |
| Iron Pot Reef | Island | Max 15 m | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Kingston Beach (Handfish site) | Muck/Sand | Max 8 m | Open Water | Shore | Weekly |
| Otago Hulk (Otago Bay) | Wreck | Max 3 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Rare |
| Pigeon Holes (South Arm) | Reef | Max 3 m | Snorkel/Any | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| Sandy Bay & Battery Point (Handfish) | Muck/Sand | Max 14 m | Open Water | Shore | Occasional |
| Spectacle Head | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 8 m | Open Water | Shore | Rare |
| SS Lake Illawarra | Wreck | Max 35 m | Wreck specialty recommended | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| SS Leura (Betsey Island) | Wreck | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| SS Lintrose | Wreck | Max 5 m | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| SS Macquarie (Betsey Island) | Wreck | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| SS Musgrave (Betsey Island) | Wreck | Max 34 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| SS Swiftness (Betsey Island) | Wreck | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| SS William Cowper (Betsey Island) | Wreck | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| Taroona Marine Reserve (Crayfish Point) | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 18 m | Open Water | Shore | Occasional |
| Tinderbox Artificial Reef | Artificial Reef | Max 10 m | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Occasional |
| Tinderbox Marine Reserve | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 12 m | Open Water | Shore or Boat | Daily |
| Tug Boyer (Betsey Island) | Wreck | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
| Whale Rock (Spectacle Head) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 12 m | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Rare |
Hobart & Derwent diving FAQ
How do I get to the dive sites in Hobart & Derwent?
All within 30–40 minutes of the city with shore entries; Hobart dive shops run charters and hire drysuits.
When is the best time to dive Hobart & Derwent?
February to May for the warmest, most settled conditions.
How many dive sites are there in Hobart & Derwent?
26 documented sites, including 12 wrecks and 9 that can be dived independently from the shore. The deepest reaches 35 m.
Are there beginner dive sites in Hobart & Derwent?
Yes, 10 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 Hobart & Derwent?
Typically 14-18 °C in summer and 9-12 °C in winter. Most divers wear drysuit strongly recommended year-round; 7 mm semi-dry or two-piece 7 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is the minimum in summer.
Which dive centres operate in Hobart & Derwent?
Tasmania Tech and Dive Centre, Go Dive Tasmania, Tasmanian Divers North, Tasmanian Divers South, The Dive Shop Hobart, Underwater Adventures Tasmania are recorded as running sites in Hobart & Derwent. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Hobart & Derwent?
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart CBD); DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.