Meet the site
La Perouse Point – Larpa to every Sydney diver – is the western tip of the La Perouse headland, and the drift around it is one of the best shallow macro dives in Botany Bay. Starting from the small bay below the right-angle car park, the route drops onto sand at 8 m and follows a reef wall about two metres high south and then west, lined with boulders that have created small overhangs and a couple of little canyons. Around the point, more than 100 m offshore, the depth reaches 14 m on a high tide and the wall becomes less distinct, then it turns north-east and east into Frenchmans Bay as the bottom shallows to 4–5 m, finishing at the sand gutter of the old boat slipway – the beach itself is a poor exit. The wall is a critter gallery: weedy seadragons including tiny juveniles, dwarf firefish (three on one dive), blue-green nudibranchs, pygmy pipehorses on the algae, seahorses on the sponges, pineapplefish under the overhangs, red Indianfish, large cuttlefish, black anglerfish and blue-ringed octopus, which are common enough here to warrant real care in the shallows. Tidal flow around the point changes direction from section to section but is never strong, and the dive is planned on an incoming or high tide because visibility, never great, is best then and falls away towards the exit. The old Cable Station above the point houses the Laperouse Museum, commemorating the French expedition of 1788, and the wharf that once stood below was destroyed in a storm in May 1974. McFadyen rates it quite a good dive that is let down mainly by visibility. It suits divers who enjoy slow, careful searching and want an alternative to the Bare Island crowds a few hundred metres away.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
La Perouse Point (Larpa) is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Sydney South & Botany Bay. 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
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 La Perouse Point (Larpa) 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 La Perouse Point (Larpa) 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
Weedy seadragon, dwarf firefish, Sydney pygmy pipehorse, big-belly seahorse, pineapplefish, red Indianfish, blue-ringed octopus, giant cuttlefish, black anglerfish, blue-green nudibranchs
Location
Drift dive around La Perouse Point on the western side of the La Perouse headland between Astrolabe Cove and Frenchmans Bay; a 2 m boulder wall with overhangs from 8 to 14 m, exiting at the old slipway.
Facilities nearby
Right-angle car park on Anzac Parade, La Perouse toilets and cafés 300 m away; air at Abyss or Sydney Dive Academy.
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.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
