Meet the site
Anchor Reef is one of a chain of little-known boat dives along the Kurnell cliffs between the Botany Bay entrance and Cape Solander, sites that for decades were overlooked because Sydney divers headed for the famous shore dives inside the bay or the Eastern Suburbs. It lies about 600 m south of The Leap, and the layout is typical of this coast: a reef wall on sand, with the bottom coming up from 22–23 m to an 18–19 m reef top. The wall itself is modest in height but broken by small overhangs and cracks, with one or two isolated rocks standing off it on the sand at about 18 m. The most interesting section is a gully running westward through large boulders, where a big rock sitting on top of the reef and a boulder beside it form a good swim-through. Across 25–30 m of sand to the west is a second wall built from large rocks, with small gullies and several excellent swim-throughs. The sand edges are worth searching: McFadyen reports weedy sea dragons and serpent eels there, while eastern blue devilfish and large cuttlefish hide under the overhangs. Over the reef are schools of one-spot pullers, yellowtail and seapike, and he once met a grey nurse shark here – a reminder that the species moves along this coast between the known aggregation sites. Visibility can reach 20 m, but because the site is at the mouth of Botany Bay it suffers when dirty water flows out on the ebb, so a high or incoming tide gives the best results. There is no regular charter, so this is a private-boat or club dive, 15 minutes from the Botany Bay ramps. It suits Advanced divers who enjoy exploring and navigating a site that has not been fully mapped, and it makes a good alternative when The Leap or Inscription Point are crowded with shore divers.
What you might see
Weedy sea dragon, serpent eel, eastern blue devilfish, giant cuttlefish, one-spot puller, yellowtail, seapike, grey nurse shark (occasional), sponges and sea squirts
Location
Reef wall and boulder gully system about 600 m south of The Leap, just south of the Botany Bay entrance off Kurnell; sand at 22–23 m rising to an 18–19 m reef.
Facilities nearby
Departure only: Botany Bay ramps (Kyeemagh, Foreshore Road, Bonna Point at Kurnell) or Port Hacking ramps (Gunnamatta Bay, Lilli Pilli), with parking and toilets; air/nitrox at Abyss (Ramsgate) and Pro Dive Cronulla.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.