Hamersley Shoal

Meet the site

Hamersley Shoal is an offshore reef north of the Dampier Archipelago, known mainly to fishers. No dive-specific description was found. Offshore shoals in the Pilbara typically attract pelagics — mackerel, trevally, cobia — and large cod, and may have clearer water than the inner islands, but are exposed to wind and current.

Treat this as an exploratory site for experienced divers with a capable boat.

About the Dampier Archipelago: the archipelago's 42 islands off Dampier and Karratha hold one of the most diverse marine environments in Western Australia, with more than 650 recorded fish species, coral reefs, sponge gardens and seagrass meadows — all set against red Pilbara rock and the world's largest concentration of Aboriginal rock art on the Burrup Peninsula (Murujuga). It is heavily fished and boated by locals but lightly dived, and visiting divers usually go with Pilbara Dive and Tours or a local club. The combination of big tides, turbid inshore water and strong currents means the outer islands generally offer the best visibility and coral, and dive timing is planned around slack water.

Planning notes: Open Water certification is recommended and the site is rated intermediate. Expect to spend most of the dive around 12 m, with a maximum of about 20 m. Access is by boat only, and site selection depends on wind, swell and tide on the day. Currents are significant, so timing around the tide is part of the plan. Best season: April–October (outside cyclone season; best visibility in cooler months). Traffic: rarely dived (private boat/club only).

What you might see

Expected: Spanish mackerel, trevally, cod, reef sharks

Facilities nearby

Dampier boat ramp and Withnell Bay ramp: parking, toilets at Dampier. Air fills, hire and cylinder testing at Pilbara Dive and Tours, Karratha.