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New South Wales · Cave/Cavern

Blue Devil Cave

Blue devilfish in the cave and one of Bass Point's best chances of a Sydney pygmy pipehorse.

Wollongong & KiamaShore or Boat
YouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph or site map

Mascot illustration — not a photograph or site map.

Depth
Not recorded
Certification
Open Water
Access
Shore or Boat
Dive type
Cave/Cavern
Region
Wollongong & Kiama

Depth describes the recorded site range, not a recommended dive depth. Certification is a recorded recommendation; suitability depends on your planned route, training, experience and current conditions.

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Location & map

Approximate area

Area reference only — other documented sites near Shellharbour. The exact dive location has not been confirmed. This map is for orientation, not marine navigation or an entry-point recommendation.

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Interactive map provided by Google Maps. If the map does not load, use the larger-map link.

Meet the site

Blue Devil Cave is one of the named Bass Point sites promoted by the NSW tourism body and Shellharbour Scuba and Photography Centre, and it has a particular following among macro photographers. Its name comes from the eastern blue devilfish that shelter in the cave and overhangs – a striking, electric-blue-spotted fish that is a signature species of the NSW rocky reef.

The site's real claim to fame is the Sydney pygmy pipehorse, a tiny, well-camouflaged relative of the seahorse that lives among algal turf and was only formally described in 2021. Bass Point is one of the best-known places to see it, and Blue Devil Cave is described as renowned for sightings. Finding one requires patience, excellent buoyancy and usually a guide who knows the individual animals' habitats. Around the cave the usual Bass Point cast is present: weedy sea dragons, giant cuttlefish, blue groper, bull stingrays, and in season grey nurse sharks.

It is best approached as a guided dive rather than an independent exploration, both to find the site and to minimise disturbance to the pipehorses, which are easily damaged by careless finning or over-zealous photography. Divers should avoid touching the substrate and limit strobe use on individual animals. Because it shares the northern side of Bass Point with The Gutter and the Gravel Loader, it benefits from the same shelter from southerly weather, and it can be combined with those sites on a day of shore diving from the reserve.

Some details in this record need confirmation. Check the source information and speak with a local operator.

What you might see

Eastern blue devilfish, Sydney pygmy pipehorse, weedy sea dragons, giant cuttlefish, blue groper, bull stingrays, grey nurse sharks (seasonal), nudibranchs

Location

Small cave/overhang site at Bass Point named for its eastern blue devilfish, renowned for Sydney pygmy pipehorse sightings.

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).

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

visitnsw.com

Record updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.

Operators linked to this site

These links are recorded in the directory. Confirm current trips and site access directly.

NSW

Shellharbour Scuba and Photography Centre

Shellharbour

Contact this operator to confirm current trips, training and available services.

Blue Devil Cave, Wollongong & Kiama — Dive Site | YouDive Australia