Wobbegong sharks in New South Wales
Carpet sharks found on nearly every reef from the Gold Coast to Perth, piled in caves at Julian Rocks and under every Sydney ledge.
Orectolobus spp.
Wobbegongs are the sharks divers see most often in Australia. Flattened, camouflaged and fringed with skin lobes, the spotted, ornate and banded species lie on ledges and in caves on every temperate and subtropical reef, singly in Sydney and stacked in dozens in the caves at Julian Rocks and the Solitary Islands. They are ambush predators with a fast bite and a habit of not letting go, and almost every 'shark bite' on a diver in NSW is a wobbegong that was stepped on, prodded or had a hand put in front of it. Give the head a metre.
Field notes
How to find wobbegong sharks on the dive
- Depth
- 2–30 m.
- Habitat
- Ledges, caves, cave floors and reef flats on every temperate and subtropical reef from Queensland to Western Australia; the Julian Rocks Cod Hole floor is famously carpeted with them.
- The tell
- A flat, tasselled, camouflaged shape that looks like weed-covered rock until you see the eye or the gill slits moving. Check under every ledge and along cave floors; several species overlap and sizes run from 1 m to 3 m.
- Behaviour
- Ambush predators that lie still all day. They are not aggressive but they bite hard and hold on if a hand, fin or camera comes within striking range of the mouth, especially when a diver reaches under a ledge without looking.
- Etiquette
- Look before you put a hand down. Give the head a metre; never touch the tail, which is the common cause of a bite. A wobbegong bite is usually a diver's fault.
Season heat map
When wobbegong sharks sites are in season
Share of the 144 wobbegong sharks sites in New South Wales with a stated best season that includes each month.
Stated season: Year-round.
Wobbegong sharks sites in New South Wales257 sites
Ordered by how regularly the site is dived and how well it is documented. The species is listed in each site's recorded marine life; sightings are never guaranteed.
All other sites recording wobbegong sharks
- Fairy Bower · Max 10 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Fish Rock – Shark Gutters · Max 30 m · South West Rocks
- Fish Rock – The Aquarium · Max 30 m · South West Rocks
- Fish Rock Cave · Max 25 m · South West Rocks
- Fly Point · Max 22 m · Port Stephens
- Halifax Park (Nelson Bay) · Max 26 m · Port Stephens
- Julian Rocks – Cod Hole · Max 22 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – Hugo's Trench · Max 18 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – The Nursery · Max 12 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Merimbula Wharf · Max 16 m · Merimbula
- Murrays Beach · Max 12 m · Jervis Bay
- Old Man's Hat (North Head) · Max 26 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Point Perpendicular Sponge Gardens · Max 34 m · Jervis Bay
- Shelly Beach / Cabbage Tree Bay (Manly) · Max 16 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- The Docks · Max 21 m · Jervis Bay
- Cook Island – Northern Ledge · Max 22 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – Cray Cave · Max 25 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – Split Bommie · Max 12 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Latitude Rock · Max 15 m · Forster & Seal Rocks
- North Head Sponge Gardens · Max 26 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- The Waterfall (North Head) · Max 22 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Julian Rocks – Rock Cod Cave · Max 24 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – The Trench · Max 22 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Julian Rocks – Tricky's · Max 18 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Bluefish Valley · Max 16 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Bubble Cave (Black Rock) · Max 21 m · Batemans Bay
- Burrewarra Point · Max 30 m · Batemans Bay
- Burrill Rocks · Max 24 m · Ulladulla
- Crocodile Head · Max 24 m · Jervis Bay
- Dee Why Wide (Advanced) · Max 30 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Drum and Drumsticks · Max 30 m · Jervis Bay
- Fish Rock – The Pinnacle · Max 35 m · South West Rocks
- Freshwater (Harbord) · Max 18 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Guerilla Bay · Max 15 m · Batemans Bay
- Henry Bolte · Max 25 m · Eden & Green Cape
- Inner Point Perpendicular · Max 32 m · Jervis Bay
- Long Reef Wall · Max 24 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Old Man's Shoulder (North Head) · Max 27 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Shark Point (Clovelly) · Max 26 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- The Apartments (Long Reef) · Max 21 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- The Arch (Black Rock) · Max 20 m · Batemans Bay
- The Arch (Jervis Bay) · Max 40 m · Jervis Bay
- The Chimney (Black Rock) · Max 21 m · Batemans Bay
- The Tunnel (Black Rock) · Max 21 m · Batemans Bay
- The Whorehouse · Max 26 m · Jervis Bay
- TSS Wandra · Max 28 m · Jervis Bay
- Wedding Cake Island (South East) · Max 22 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Adamson Sponge Gardens · Max 24 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Bait Reef (Trial Bay) · Max 10 m · South West Rocks
- Cabbage Tree Bay (Norah Head) · Max 9 m · Central Coast
- Fairfax Lookout (North Head) · Max 30 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Fifeshire Reef (North Avoca) · Max 21 m · Central Coast
- Fish Rock – Larry's Ledge & Outside Shark Gutter · Max 20 m · South West Rocks
- Gaol Reef / Turtle Wall (Trial Bay) · Max 10 m · South West Rocks
- Home Bommie (Ulladulla) · Max 26 m · Ulladulla
- Hyams Beach · Max 10 m · Jervis Bay
- Jimmies Island · Max 18 m · Batemans Bay
- Lighthouse Bay (Montague Island) · Max 16 m · Narooma & Montague Island
- Merewether Reef (The Mowie Hole) · Max 15 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Mutton Bird Island (Coffs Harbour) · Max 15 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Newcastle Ocean Baths shore dive · Max 9 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Nine Mile Reef · Max 30 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- North Bommie (Ulladulla) · Max 22 m · Ulladulla
- North Reef (Newcastle) · Max 27 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- South Broulee Cave · Max 15 m · Batemans Bay
- South Solitary Island – The Gantry · Max 16 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Split Solitary Island – Turtle Cove · Max 18 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Ten Fathom Dropoff · Max 40 m · Jervis Bay
- The Boulders (Bowen Island) · Max 24 m · Jervis Bay
- The Caves (Crocodile Head) · Max 21 m · Jervis Bay
- The Pinnacle (Bateau Bay) · Max 24 m · Central Coast
- The Temple (Moon Island) · Max 20 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Two Poles (Terrigal) · Max 19 m · Central Coast
- Under the Tube (Moon Island) · Max 22 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Gorgonia Grove (North Head) · Max 26 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Magic Reef (Ulladulla) · Max 27 m · Ulladulla
- Outer Flagstaff (North Head) · Max 20 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Ray Alley (North Head) · Max 20 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Runway 36 (North Head) · Max 27 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- South Solitary Island – Archie's Cave · Max 20 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- South Solitary Island – Steam Boiler · Max 20 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Black Rock Drift · Max 20 m · Batemans Bay
- Cathedral Cave · Max 23 m · Jervis Bay
- Lighthouse Sponge Gardens · Max 22 m · Ulladulla
- Mahon Pool (North Maroubra) · Max 24 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Pig Island – South East · Max 25 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- Pistol Crack (Cape Banks) · Max 27 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Slipper Reef · Max 29 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- South Maroubra · Max 15 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- SS Bombo · Max 32 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- SS Bonnie Dundee wreck · Max 36 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- SS Duckenfield wreck · Max 23 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- SS Tuggerah wreck · Max 49 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- The Valiant wreck · Max 27 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Windy Point (Cronulla) · Max 12 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Admiralty (Moon Island) · Max 18 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Barlings Beach and Barlings Island · Max 11 m · Batemans Bay
- Bawley Point · Max 13 m · Ulladulla
- Blacksmiths Shallows · Max 7 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Bonito Reef · Max 25 m · Central Coast
- Dee Why Wide (Deep) · Max 37 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Elles Cave · Max 17 m · Jervis Bay
- Fish Rock – Fish and Chips · Max 35 m · South West Rocks
- Fish Rock – Fish Bommies · Max 32 m · South West Rocks
- Flat Rock (South Bondi) · Max 12 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Garden Bay (Malua Bay) · Max 10 m · Batemans Bay
- Green Wheely Bin Reef (North Head) · Max 28 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Haycock Point · Max 18 m · Merimbula
- New Arch (Moon Island) · Max 24 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Nielsen Park / Shark Bay · Max 8 m · Sydney Harbour
- North West Solitary Island · Max 18 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Pretty Point · Max 10 m · Batemans Bay
- Short Point (Merimbula) · Max 12 m · Merimbula
- Smugglers Cave · Max 33 m · Jervis Bay
- SS Irresistible wreck · Max 26 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- The Cod Hole (Port Macquarie) · Max 18 m · Port Macquarie & Camden Haven
- The Shotgun (Tollgate Islands) · Max 18 m · Batemans Bay
- Tiger Reef (Tollgate Islands) · Max 13 m · Batemans Bay
- Wobbegong Bay (Durras) · Max 15 m · Batemans Bay
- Anniversary Reef Wall · Max 18 m · Central Coast
- Bannister Head · Max 20 m · Ulladulla
- Barry's Bay (Port Macquarie) · Max 20 m · Port Macquarie & Camden Haven
- Blue Moon (North Head) · Max 28 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Boat Trailer Reef · Max 24 m · Central Coast
- Cape Byron headland dives · Max 8 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Charlie's Reef · Max 18 m · Batemans Bay
- Checkpoint Charlie (North Head) · Max 26 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Cook Island – Southern Aquarium · Max 24 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Fido's Reef · Max 22 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- First Point (Terrigal) · Max 26 m · Central Coast
- Forresters Reef · Max 30 m · Central Coast
- Kingscliff Reef · Max 20 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Latitude Reef · Max 16 m · Forster & Seal Rocks
- Manly Bommie · Max 14 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- PJ Cove (Entrance Bommies) · Max 18 m · Central Coast
- Port Macquarie Artificial Reef · Max 24 m · Port Macquarie & Camden Haven
- Short Point Bommie · Max 20 m · Merimbula
- South Solitary Island – Lighthouse Bommie · Max 20 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Spoon Bay Reef (Wamberal) · Max 17 m · Central Coast
- Sweep City · Max 24 m · Central Coast
- The Ledges (Montague Island) · Max 18 m · Narooma & Montague Island
- Trennents Rock · Max 25 m · Batemans Bay
- Wonderland (Merimbula) · Max 35 m · Merimbula
- Wooli – Sandon Shoals · Max 25 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Yamba – Pinnacle / Freeburn Island reefs · Max 30 m · Yamba & Iluka
- Yamba Bommie · Max 25 m · Yamba & Iluka
- Bottle and Glass Point (Nielsen Park) · Max 8 m · Sydney Harbour
- Cape Banks / Cruwee Cove · Max 30 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Coolooli wreck · Max 48 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Crocodile Head Gorge · Max 55 m · Jervis Bay
- Himma wreck · Max 52 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- HMAS Doomba / Meggol wreck · Max 49 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Jibbon Bombora (Fish Reef) · Max 22 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Kurnell Desalination Plant Inlet · Max 25 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Middle Ground (Cronulla) · Max 33 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- North Solitary Island – Anemone Bay · Max 30 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Six Fathom Reef (Port Hacking) · Max 27 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Spider Cave · Max 30 m · Jervis Bay
- SS Annie M. Miller wreck · Max 46 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- SS Birchgrove Park wreck · Max 51 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- SS Dee Why (ferry) wreck · Max 48 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- SS Galava wreck · Max 51 m · Central Coast
- SS Hilda wreck (Cape Baily) · Max 27 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- SS Myola wreck · Max 50 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- The Gullies / Underwater Wilderness · Max 22 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- The Wanderers (Bate Bay) · Max 46 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- TSS Hall Caine wreck · Max 45 m · Central Coast
- Wattamolla Point (Royal National Park) · Max 27 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- Yellow Rock (Malabar) · Max 26 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- 55-metre Crane Barge (Newcastle) · Max 55 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Angourie Point / Green Point reef · Max 14 m · Yamba & Iluka
- Apollo Barge wreck · Max 47 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Broulee Island · Max 20 m · Batemans Bay
- Dobroyd Head / Reef Beach · Max 12 m · Sydney Harbour
- Fish Rock – Land of Giants · Max 40 m · South West Rocks
- Forty Baskets Beach · Max 10 m · Sydney Harbour
- Lighthouse Reef (Norah Head) · Max 19 m · Central Coast
- Little Bay – 4th Hole · Max 12 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- LVT-4A amphibious tank (Stockton Beach) · Max 33 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- North Curl Curl · Max 20 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Potato Point · Max 12 m · Narooma & Montague Island
- PS Commodore wreck · Max 36 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- Red Flag (Long Bay Rifle Range) · Max 23 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- SS Advance wreck (Catherine Hill Bay) · Max 49 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- SS Commonwealth wreck (Foggy Reef) · Max 42 m · Central Coast
- SS Kiama wreck · Max 47 m · Central Coast
- SS Northern Firth · Max 26 m · Ulladulla
- SS Osprey wreck · Max 42 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- SS Tekapo wreck (South Maroubra) · Max 7 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- The Pinnacles – Bangalley Head · Max 18 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- The Trio wreck · Max 54 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Truck Tyre Reef / Pistol Point · Max 26 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- TSS Belbowrie wreck (South Maroubra) · Max 8 m · Sydney South & Botany Bay
- 5 Mile Reef (Terrigal) · Max 38 m · Central Coast
- Austinmer · Max 12 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- Ballina – Black Head / Lennox reef system · Max 22 m · Ballina & Evans Head
- Ballina – Lennox Reef · Max 20 m · Ballina & Evans Head
- Barrenjoey Head / Palm Beach · Max 22 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Bilgola Beach (northern headland) · Max 15 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Bongin Bongin Bay (Mona Vale Basin) · Max 15 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Broken Head reefs · Max 16 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Brush Island · Max 25 m · Ulladulla
- Bullocky Reef · Max 30 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Bunga Head · Depth not published · Bermagui & Tathra
- Canoe Barge (Long Reef) · Max 51 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Castle Rock Beach / Grotto Point (Clontarf) · Max 10 m · Sydney Harbour
- Coal Cliff · Max 15 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- Dolphin Point · Max 12 m · Ulladulla
- Doubt Reef · Max 45 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Evans Head reefs · Max 16 m · Ballina & Evans Head
- Golf Course Reef · Max 25 m · Ulladulla
- Hopper Barge 656 (Long Reef) · Max 51 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Iluka Bluff / Woody Head reefs · Max 15 m · Yamba & Iluka
- Jeffs Reef · Max 22 m · Central Coast
- Jenna's Bump · Max 18 m · Batemans Bay
- Jew Grounds (Terrigal) · Max 36 m · Central Coast
- Lennards Island · Max 25 m · Eden & Green Cape
- Lennox Head Reef · Max 18 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- Lion Island (Broken Bay) · Max 18 m · Central Coast
- Lobster Bay · Max 6 m · Shoalhaven Coast
- Long Reef Aquatic Reserve (shore) · Max 12 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Mewstone (Eden) · Depth not published · Eden & Green Cape
- Mona Vale Headland · Max 15 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- North Solitary Island – Bubble Cave · Max 18 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- North Solitary Island – Grey Nurse Gutters · Max 22 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- North Solitary Island – Muttonbird Gutter · Max 20 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- North Solitary Island – The Aquarium · Max 18 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Palm Beach (ocean side – rock pool and Kiddies Corner) · Max 16 m · Sydney Northern Beaches
- Point Upright · Max 20 m · Batemans Bay
- San Francisco Reef (Avoca) · Max 35 m · Central Coast
- Sandon Point · Max 6 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- Sawtell Reef · Max 15 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Scotts Head reefs · Max 15 m · Nambucca & Urunga
- Shelly Beach (Nambucca Heads) · Max 12 m · Nambucca & Urunga
- Silver Drummer Wall · Max 20 m · Central Coast
- Snapper Point (Merry Beach) · Max 18 m · Ulladulla
- Split Bommie (Coffs Harbour) · Max 20 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Spot X · Max 24 m · Tweed & Byron Bay
- SS Byron wreck (Redhead) · Max 40 m · Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
- SS Yambacoomba wreck · Max 24 m · Central Coast
- Terrigal Reef / SS Lord Ashley · Max 12 m · Central Coast
- The Pines (Terrigal) · Max 30 m · Central Coast
- The Steps (Eden) · Max 15 m · Eden & Green Cape
- The Wash (Coffs Harbour) · Max 30 m · Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands
- Towradgi Point · Max 15 m · Wollongong & Kiama
- Tura Head · Depth not published · Merimbula
- Warang Point · Max 25 m · Eden & Green Cape
- Werri Point · Max 10 m · Wollongong & Kiama
Frequently asked questions
How do I find wobbegong sharks on a dive?
Ledges, caves, cave floors and reef flats on every temperate and subtropical reef from Queensland to Western Australia; the Julian Rocks Cod Hole floor is famously carpeted with them. A flat, tasselled, camouflaged shape that looks like weed-covered rock until you see the eye or the gill slits moving. Check under every ledge and along cave floors; several species overlap and sizes run from 1 m to 3 m.
Where is the best place to see wobbegong sharks in Australia?
Almost every reef in NSW and southern Queensland; Julian Rocks and North Solitary for numbers; Rottnest and Perth reefs (the western species).
When is the best time to see wobbegong sharks?
Year-round.
How should I approach wobbegong sharks?
Look before you put a hand on a ledge. Do not touch the tail.