Meet the site
Blacksmiths Shallows is an easy, fun reef off Blacksmiths, the beach suburb immediately north of Swansea Channel. Grey Nurse Charters describes a large reef in about 7 m whose southern end has a swim-through arch, a tunnel and crevices, with schools of yellow-tailed scad and diverse reef fish, and notes it is sheltered from southerly swells. In short, it is a fun dive. The southern end is where most of the interest lies. The arch and tunnel are short swim-throughs formed by the sandstone reef, and the crevices around them shelter bullseyes, pomfrets, moray eels and crustaceans. Because the site is shallow, light is good and colours are bright, and the swim-throughs are easy to photograph with natural light. The rest of the reef is a mix of kelp, low ledges and boulders typical of the Newcastle coast. Yellowtail scad school over it in large numbers, with silver sweep, mado and luderick among them, while red morwong, blue groper, wrasse and leatherjackets feed on the reef. Wobbegongs and Port Jackson sharks rest on the sand edges, and octopus and cuttlefish are common. At only 7 m, Blacksmiths Shallows gives long bottom times and suits Open Water divers, students and snorkellers from a boat on calm days. It is especially useful as a southerly-day alternative when Moon Island's walls are rough, and as a gentle second dive after the deeper Bonnie Dundee or the Newcastle offshore artificial reef. Snorkellers on the boat can also enjoy the southern end on flat days, when the arch is visible from the surface.
What you might see
Yellowtail scad (schools), silver sweep, mado, luderick, red morwong, eastern blue groper, wrasse, leatherjackets, bullseyes, moray eels, wobbegong sharks, Port Jackson sharks, octopus, cuttlefish
Location
A large shallow reef off Blacksmiths, north of the Swansea Channel entrance, about 7 m deep, with a swim-through arch, tunnel and crevices at its southern end.
Facilities nearby
Departs Swansea (Black Neds Bay ramp): parking, toilets; air fills in Swansea.
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
greynurse.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.