Meet the site
Cabbage Tree Island is a nature reserve island off Port Stephens whose shallow rock walls have made it a favoured training and intermediate-level dive site, offering a genuinely safer, more approachable profile than the more exposed and current-affected Broughton Island group further offshore. Depths here range widely, from a comfortable twelve metres on the shallower shelves out to a genuine forty metres on the deeper faces, giving operators flexibility to run anything from a relaxed open-water dive to a more demanding deep excursion depending on the group and conditions on the day. The island's closer position to Nelson Bay — a run of around twenty minutes rather than the fifty-plus needed to reach Broughton Island — also makes it a practical choice when time, weather or group experience level rules out the longer offshore trip. As with the broader Port Stephens islands group, Cabbage Tree Island sits within the network of protected areas supporting the region's grey nurse shark population, and while it is not one of the named critical habitat aggregation sites in the way Broughton Island's Looking Glass or Shark Gutters are, sightings are a real possibility given the general movement of sharks between sites along this stretch of coast. The island's general reef life follows the typical Port Stephens pattern of temperate species mixed with occasional subtropical visitors, and its main appeal for local operators is precisely its safety and flexibility — a reliable, moderate-risk option that works for a broader range of diver experience levels than the more committing sites further offshore, making it a frequent choice for training dives, refresher courses and groups with mixed experience levels.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Cabbage Tree Island (Port Stephens) is recorded as Island in Port Stephens. The listed access is boat. 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.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
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 Cabbage Tree Island (Port Stephens) suitable for my certification?
The record lists Deep/Advanced + experience. 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 Cabbage Tree Island (Port Stephens) 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
General Port Stephens reef fish, occasional grey nurse sharks, invertebrates typical of the island group
Location
An island nature reserve off Port Stephens offering safe, shallow rock-wall training dives, popular for its accessibility relative to the more exposed Broughton Island group.
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
mudgeediveandtravel.comRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.