Meet the site
Hamelin Bay's stingrays are one of the best-known wildlife encounters in the South West. Cape to Cape Explorer Tours describes three types in the bay - smooth stingrays, black stingrays and eagle rays - gliding over the sand to forage for molluscs and crustaceans and congregating around the old wooden jetty pylons and in the shallows along the beach. Summer brings the best viewing, when the rays hunt in clear water visible from shore. Marinelife.org.au notes that the large rays were historically hand-fed and encouraged to shore; the WA Parks and Wildlife Service now advises visitors to watch without touching or feeding, as rays will defend themselves with their tail barbs.
The smooth stingrays here are among the largest rays in Australian waters, and seeing them sweep past a snorkeller in a metre of water is memorable. The jetty piles, the remains of an 1880s timber jetty, add some structure and small fish, and the bay's four visible wrecks - Agincourt, Chaudiere, Katinka and Toba - lie a short distance away and are listed separately.
It suits everyone: families watching from the sand, snorkellers in the shallows, and divers using the ramp to reach the wrecks and reefs. Marinelife.org.au notes the bay is not a no-fishing zone and that numbers of crays, large fish and abalone have fallen.
Hamelin Bay was a timber port from the 1880s, when a jetty built in 1882 and extended in 1898 served M. C. Davies' milling operations. It was notorious for wrecks in bad weather because it is exposed to the north-west gales of winter storms; the 22 July 1900 storm alone wrecked several ships, and only the old jetty piles remain today. The bay is now a recreation zone in the Ngari Capes Marine Park, and every wreck in it older than 75 years 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.
Hamelin Bay Jetty & Stingrays is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Margaret River & Augusta. The listed access is shore. 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.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
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 Hamelin Bay Jetty & Stingrays suitable for my certification?
The record lists Snorkel/Any. 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 Hamelin Bay Jetty & Stingrays 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
Smooth stingrays, black stingrays, eagle rays, juvenile fish around jetty piles, sand-dwelling invertebrates
Location
Sheltered bay between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste where smooth stingrays, black stingrays and eagle rays gather around the old timber-jetty piles and boat ramp in shallow water.
Facilities nearby
Hamelin Bay Holiday Park (camping, cabins, kiosk, toilets); boat ramp; car park.
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
capetocapetours.com.aumarinelife.org.auen.wikipedia.orgRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
