Bass Point Gravel Loader

Meet the site

The Bass Point Gravel Loader is a long jetty built to load crushed rock from the Bass Point quarry onto ships. It extends about 150 m from the northern shore of the point on steel-reinforced concrete pylons, and although it still stands above water it appears to have been out of use for many years. Underwater the pylons, girders and fallen, twisted steel create an artificial reef in 2–12 m, with most of the diving at 4–5 m – ideal for long, shallow dives and night dives. A memorial plaque to a diver is fixed to the structure.

Since December 2016 the loader has become famous for grey nurse sharks. A group of mostly female and juvenile male sharks has taken up residence around the end of the structure, and McFadyen suggests the site functions as a nursery. Seeing a critically endangered shark this reliably from a shallow, protected shore dive is unusual anywhere in Australia, and the site now draws divers from Sydney most weekends. Divers must follow the grey nurse shark code: stay low, do not block their path, do not touch or feed them.

The structure also supports a rich community of smaller life. Red morwong, striped seapike, leatherjackets and bream swarm around the pylons, giant cuttlefish and squid are common, and the weed and debris hide nudibranchs and pipefish. Blue groper are frequent visitors. Because it is protected from southerly weather and so shallow, the loader is an excellent second dive after the deeper Gutter or a boat dive, and one of the best night dives on the NSW coast.

What you might see

Grey nurse sharks (resident since 2016), giant cuttlefish, squid, blue groper, red morwong, striped seapike, leatherjackets, bream, nudibranchs, pipefish, sponges

Location

Disused 150 m quarry gravel loader jetty extending from the northern shore of Bass Point; concrete pylons, girders and twisted steel in 2–12 m, with resident grey nurse sharks since 2016.

Facilities nearby

Bass Point Reserve: toilets, picnic tables and grassed gear-up areas, no fresh water or barbecues (bring your own); reserve gate may close on total fire ban days. Air fills at Shellharbour Scuba and Photography Centre (Shellharbour Village). Old boat ramp gives an easy entry.