Meet the site
Monument Bay sits beside Monument Rock on the Cape Hauy side of Fortescue Bay's southern headland. The Marine Life Network guide lists it at 10-25 m, with a sloping reef, caves and excellent visibility, and notes crayfish and plenty of macro-photography subjects. The sloping reef makes this an easier, more relaxed dive than the current-swept Monument outside, and the caves along the reef provide shaded habitat for jewel anemones, sponges and other invertebrates. Rock lobsters shelter in the cave entrances and cracks, and small subjects such as nudibranchs, sea spiders, gobies and blennies reward macro photographers who take their time. The shallower reef is covered in kelp and brown algae with wrasse, leatherjackets and magpie morwong. Clean water sweeping in from the Tasman Sea gives the bay the excellent visibility the guide notes. It is a good second dive for private boats working the Cape Hauy area, and a suitable site for Open Water divers with some cold-water experience. The scenery above water – the dolerite columns of Cape Hauy and the Lanterns – is spectacular on the run in. Information is limited to the older guides, so treat depths and features as indicative. The bay's position also makes it a practical refuge: when current is running too hard at the Monument or swell is building on the outer rocks, a boat can often tuck in here for a gentler dive before returning to the Fortescue Bay ramp. Take a torch for the caves and a macro lens for the small life on the walls.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Monument Bay is recorded as Reef in Tasman Peninsula. The listed access is boat (day trip). 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.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
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 Monument Bay suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced 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 Monument Bay 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
Southern rock lobster, jewel anemones, sponges, nudibranchs, sea spiders, wrasse, leatherjackets, magpie morwong, butterfly perch
Location
Bay near Monument Rock on the south side of Cape Hauy, with a sloping reef and caves.
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
marinelife.org.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.