Badger Head

Meet the site

Badger Head, west of the Tamar entrance, is rated 6 out of 10 by the Marine Life Network guide as the best crayfish prospect near Launceston, in 4-20 m. It describes Bass Strait fish, crayfish in the deeper areas and abalone in the shallows, but notes heavy fishing pressure and that the shallow areas are more scenic than the uninspiring deep bottom.

An echo sounder is needed to find the deeper reef. Recreational rock lobster and abalone fishing in Tasmania requires a licence and is subject to seasons, size and bag limits. As with all Tamar entrance sites, local knowledge of the tides is worth more than any written description, and a first visit with Launceston club divers is the best introduction.

The Tamar entrance is one of the most tidally energetic dive areas in Tasmania, and the Marine Life Network guide classes several sites here as category 4-5 because of current and shipping. Hebe Reef, a shallow reef at the mouth, has claimed many ships since the early 19th century, and its wrecks are protected historic sites. The flip side of the current is prolific filter-feeding life - sponges, bryozoans and ascidians - on any structure the water flows over.

Launceston divers have access to these sites within an hour of the city, and the sheltered Low Head shore dive is a regular training and club venue. The nearest hyperbaric chamber, however, is at the Royal Hobart Hospital about 3 hours' drive south, as Launceston General Hospital has none, so plan slack-water dives conservatively.

What you might see

Crayfish, abalone, Bass Strait reef fish, wrasse, leatherjackets

Location

A headland west of the Tamar entrance in Narawntapu National Park area, offering the best crayfish prospects near Launceston in 4-20 m.

Facilities nearby

Low Head: pilot station museum, lighthouse, parking, toilets, cafe (seasonal); boat ramp. George Town: shops, fuel, accommodation. Air fills: Tasmanian Divers, Launceston.