Meet the site
Elles Cave is on the ocean-facing southern headland of Jervis Bay, just south of Pyramid Rock and Bowen Island, in the waters of Booderee National Park. McFadyen calls it a very interesting dive site: an L-shaped cave with its main entrance at 17 m that shallows to about 8 m as it exits into a small bay. Good diving is also found at the head of the bay and throughout its main section, so the cave forms the centrepiece of a broader dive rather than the whole of it.
The cave is wide and short enough to be approachable for Open Water divers with a torch and good buoyancy, and the change in depth from entrance to exit gives a pleasing sense of moving through the headland. Its walls carry sponges and encrusting life, and bullseyes and eastern blue devilfish shelter inside, with wobbegongs on ledges. In the bay, kelp and boulders hold blue groper, leatherjackets and wrasse, and the southern headland's clear oceanic water often gives excellent visibility. The Marine Life Network lists the depth range as 8–17 m and notes good diving adjacent to the cave.
The site is more exposed than Bowen Island, so it needs small swell and is best on winter westerly days; surge in the shallow exit is the main hazard when any swell is running. It is often combined with Spider Cave, a short distance south, for two very different cave dives on the same trip. The waters are within Booderee National Park, where marine life is protected.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Elles Cave is recorded as Cave/Cavern in Jervis Bay. 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.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
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 Elles Cave suitable for my certification?
The record lists Open Water. 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 Elles Cave 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
Bullseyes, eastern blue devilfish, wobbegongs, blue groper, leatherjackets, wrasse, sponges, kelp
Location
L-shaped cave on the southern headland of Jervis Bay just south of Bowen Island/Pyramid Rock, entered at 17 m and exiting at 8 m into a small bay.
Facilities nearby
Departure from Huskisson (Dive Jervis Bay shop, air/nitrox, cafés) or Murrays Beach ramp (Booderee; toilets, parking, park pass required).
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
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infomarinelife.org.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.