Meet the site
The Bare Island Bombora is a solitary reef rising off the sand about 250 m due south of the island, and it is where the big fish live. Two small shallower sections form its peaks and beneath them are large overhangs, and under those overhangs sit old man snapper of a size McFadyen says you will very rarely see anywhere else, together with huge schools of bream, sweep, luderick and ladder-finned pomfrets and large kingfish patrolling the edge. It is also seadragon country – 25 were counted on one crossing – and the sand edge on the way out is worth watching. The catch is getting there. The dive starts from the eastern side of the island's rock platform at the back-left corner, swims out and south, then follows the sand edge on a compass course for 10–15 minutes to reach the bommie, and repeats the exercise in reverse. Currents run between the island and the bombora, sometimes against expectation, the sand offers almost no landmarks, and if visibility drops the navigation becomes a guessing game with a long surface swim among fast boats as the penalty. McFadyen's conditions are strict: completely calm seas, at or near high tide, a very experienced diver who is good on air, and at least a 12 L tank. Met, they buy a dive on an untouched reef that most Bare Island regulars have never seen, with fish life more like an offshore site than a shore dive. It is a good target for divers who have done the Deep Wall and the Isolated Reefs and want the last piece of the Bare Island map.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Bare Island – Bombora is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Sydney South & Botany Bay. The listed access is shore. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Bare Island – Bombora suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Bare Island – Bombora through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Old man snapper (very large), kingfish, bream, silver sweep, luderick, ladder-finned pomfret (huge schools), weedy seadragon (up to 25), blue groper
Location
Isolated bombora with two shallow peaks and large overhangs about 250 m due south of Bare Island, reached across the sand from the island's eastern platform.
Facilities nearby
Free parking on Anzac Parade and the La Perouse loop (fills by 8 am on weekends), toilets at La Perouse, cafés and fish and chips at the loop, gear-up on the grass above the bridge; air fills at Abyss (Ramsgate) and Sydney Dive Academy (Matraville).
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.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
