Meet the site
Landing Bay, also called Dinghy Cove, is the small cove on the northern side of Lady Julia Percy Island that provides, in the Scuba Doctor's words, the only place with practical human access to the top of the island. It was where sealers, guano diggers and the occasional scientific party landed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and there are significant archaeological sites both on the slopes above and in the water, so the cove has heritage as well as natural interest. Underwater it shelves from 8–10 m at the mouth to a pebble beach, over a bottom that, being on the sheltered lee side, is siltier than elsewhere around the island. The reef edges along the cliff bases on either side carry the kelp, sponges and crayfish typical of the island, and the seals hauled out on the rocks around the cove use it constantly, so a diver in the shallows is rarely alone for long.
It is, by the island's standards, the easy dive – Open Water depth, an anchorage out of the south-west swell and a straightforward layout – and the site guide is honest that while it is easier to access because of the protection, it lacks the dramatic appeal of the exposed sides. That makes it the right first dive of a day at Deen Maar, a place to settle, meet the seals and check equipment before moving round to the walls, caves and giant rock pools of the southern side, or simply the dive that is possible when the swell is up. Landing on the beach is prohibited without a permit; the island is a Wildlife Reserve within the Deen Maar Indigenous Protected Area, and the seal approach regulations apply. Everything else about the visit – the long exposed crossing, the cold upwelled water, the white sharks that patrol the colony – is as for the island generally.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Landing Bay, Lady Julia Percy Island is recorded as Reef in Portland & the West. The listed access is boat. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
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 Landing Bay, Lady Julia Percy Island 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 Landing Bay, Lady Julia Percy Island 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
Australian fur seals, southern rock lobster, sea sweep, blue-throat wrasse, magpie perch, leatherjackets, kelp and sponges on the reef edges, rays on the silty sand, little penguins
Location
The only practical landing place on Lady Julia Percy Island, a sheltered pebble-beach cove on the northern side, with a silty reef bottom shelving from 8–10 m to the beach.
Facilities nearby
Boat ramps at Port Fairy and Yambuk; nothing on the island; air in Warrnambool or Portland.
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
scubadoctor.com.auscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.