Meet the site
Little Waterfall Bay is the smaller neighbour of Waterfall Bay, a cove where a second creek drops off the cliffs of the Tasman Coastal Trail. Go Dive Tasmania lists it as one of its regular boat sites, describing colourful reef walls and sponge gardens in 8-24 m with great visibility and a good chance of weedy seadragons. The topography follows the Waterfall Bay pattern: vertical and stepped dolerite walls at the base of the cliff, boulders and ledges below, and patches of sand at the deepest point. The deeper faces carry sponges in reds, oranges and yellows, sea whips, hydroids and patches of jewel anemones, while the shallows are cloaked in brown algae and kelp where seadragons feed on mysid swarms. Because it sits slightly further along the coast, Little Waterfall Bay tends to be less busy than the main bay and gives operators another sheltered option when the offshore pinnacles are unworkable. It is a comfortable dive for Open Water divers who stay shallow, and a better one for Advanced divers who can use the full depth range to explore the sponge gardens. The fish life reflects the protection of the area: butterfly perch and bullseyes, banded and magpie morwong, several species of wrasse, leatherjackets and the odd rock lobster in the cracks. Photographers will find the combination of seadragons in the shallows and sponge walls deeper rewarding on a single tank. Visibility is generally good because the site is washed by clean coastal water, although heavy rain can put a tannin layer on the surface near the creek mouth. The cove is best treated as a relaxed second dive after Cathedral Cave or one of the deeper offshore sites, with a long, shallow finish in the kelp.
What you might see
Sponges, sea whips, hydroids, jewel anemones, weedy seadragons, butterfly perch, bullseyes, banded morwong, magpie morwong, wrasse, leatherjackets, southern rock lobster, draughtboard sharks
Location
Small cove on the Tasman Peninsula coast just south of Waterfall Bay, with reef walls and sponge gardens beneath the cliffs of the Tasman Coastal Trail.
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
godivetas.com.augodivetas.com.aueaglehawkdive.com.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.