Meet the site
Crowdy Head is a small, working fishing village between Port Macquarie and Harrington whose surrounding reefs see relatively little dedicated recreational diving compared with the better-known sites either side, despite reasonable rock and gutter structure within a short boat run of the town's breakwall and ramp. The reefs here are typical of the mid-north-coast's rocky headland formations — broken rock, gutters and occasional small bommies in a moderate depth range, supporting temperate reef fish, rays and, at times, grey nurse sharks moving between the better-documented aggregation sites at Fish Rock, Cod Grounds and further south. The historic Crowdy Head Lighthouse on the headland above is a well-known landmark and whale-watching point, and the same waters below are occasionally used for whale-watching-linked charter trips in season. Because Crowdy Head lacks a dedicated dive shop, most diving here is done by private boat owners launching from the town ramp, or as an occasional stop for operators based in Port Macquarie or Camden Haven when conditions or client interest justify the run. This makes it one of the more genuinely under-explored parts of the region from a documented-dive-site perspective — locals know productive patches of reef, but little of that knowledge has made it into published dive guides. Visiting divers without local contacts or their own boat should not expect to easily arrange a charter here, and are better served treating Crowdy Head as a scenic coastal stop and possible future dive destination rather than a planned diving day, unless travelling with a private vessel or an operator willing to make the trip.
What you might see
Temperate reef fish, rays, occasional grey nurse sharks, small reef sharks, invertebrates
Location
A cluster of rocky reefs and gutters off the small fishing village of Crowdy Head, between Port Macquarie and Harrington, reached from the town's boat ramp and breakwall.
Facilities nearby
Boat ramp, breakwall, small township with limited services at Crowdy Head.
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.