Meet the site
Mettams Pool is the best-known snorkelling spot on Perth's northern beaches: a lagoon enclosed by limestone reef on West Coast Drive, inside Marmion Marine Park. The inner pools are less than 2 m deep and sheltered enough for children and people with limited mobility, and the main entrance has a ramp. The outer reef, reached through gaps from the lagoon, drops to about 7 m and has swim-throughs, ledges, holes, passages and at least one arch.
The outer reef is surprisingly colourful. Sea fans in yellow, pink, orange, white and red grow in the gutters, along with sponges and sea stars, and Port Jackson sharks shelter in caves in winter. Western blue devils, juvenile buffalo bream, wrasse, scalyfin, old wives, stripeys and schools of small fish move through the reef, and rays rest on the sand. Coral bommies and seaweed beds add variety in the lagoon.
The drawback is exposure. Howies describes conditions as difficult on most days of the year, because swell over 1 m surges through the reef and wrecks visibility. The best days come after easterly weather in late summer and autumn, on glassy mornings before the sea breeze.
Mettams suits families, snorkellers and beginner divers on calm days, and experienced divers looking for an easy shore dive with good structure. It is busy on summer weekends, so go early. Water temperatures range from about 17 °C in winter to 22–23 °C in late summer. A sanctuary zone protects parts of the Marmion reefs, so look but do not take.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Mettams Pool is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Perth. 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 Mettams Pool suitable for my certification?
The record lists Snorkel/Any. 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 Mettams Pool 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
Sea fans (multiple colours), sponges, sea stars, western blue devil, juvenile buffalo bream, wrasse, scalyfin, old wives, stripeys, Port Jackson sharks, rays, coral bommies
Location
A reef-sheltered lagoon on West Coast Drive between Trigg and North Beach, inside Marmion Marine Park, with shallow inner pools and outer reef with swim-throughs and ledges.
Facilities nearby
Street parking, toilets and disabled ramp at the main entrance near Lynn Street; cafes at Trigg and North Beach. Air fills in Osborne Park, Innaloo and Hillarys.
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
howiesscuba.comhowiesscuba.commarinelife.org.autrailswa.com.auweareexplorers.coRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
