Meet the site
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve was the first aquatic reserve declared in New South Wales, gazetted in 1980 to protect about 80 hectares of the intertidal platform and adjoining waters from Collaroy rock baths south to the Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club and 100 m offshore. It is famous as a rock-platform study site visited by thousands of school students each year for its intertidal life, and the reserve's 'enjoy but don't collect' rule protects all invertebrates and plants; fishing for finfish is permitted in parts. As a dive it is little known, because the famous Long Reef sites, the Wall and the Apartments, are boat dives outside the reserve on the seaward face of the point. The shore dive uses Fishermans Beach, the small sandy cove on the northern side of the headland where the local fishing club launches trailer boats. From the sand the bottom slopes gently to a boulder-and-kelp reef edge that runs east toward the point, with gutters between tumbled sandstone blocks, cunjevoi and kelp on the tops and small overhangs beneath. Depth is 3–8 m for most of the swim and reaches 10–12 m out near the reserve boundary. It is not spectacular reef, but the protection shows: blue groper are tame and numerous, luderick, bream and red morwong are thick, Port Jackson sharks and wobbegongs shelter under the ledges in winter, and cuttlefish and octopus are common. Eagle rays and the occasional turtle cross the sand. The dive is for experienced shore divers who read swell well, because the platform is a wash zone in anything but calm seas and the point itself should never be approached from shore. It matters as the shallow, no-boat window onto Long Reef and as a rare Northern Beaches shore dive north of Freshwater, but most divers will find the boat sites off the point a better use of a calm day.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Long Reef Aquatic Reserve (shore) is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Sydney Northern Beaches. 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.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
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 Long Reef Aquatic Reserve (shore) 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 Long Reef Aquatic Reserve (shore) 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
Blue groper, luderick, bream, red morwong, Port Jackson sharks, wobbegongs, cuttlefish, octopus, eagle rays, intertidal invertebrates, kelp
Location
Shore dive and snorkel off Fishermans Beach on the northern (Collaroy) side of Long Reef Point, inside the 80-hectare Long Reef Aquatic Reserve declared in 1980; shallow kelp and boulder reef 3–12 m extending to the reserve's 100 m offshore limit.
Facilities nearby
Free car park on the headland, toilets and showers at Long Reef SLSC and Fishermans Beach, cafes at Collaroy and Dee Why; air fills at Pro Dive Manly (Brookvale) or Dive Centre Manly.
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
dpird.nsw.gov.auabyss.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.