Meet the site
Norman Point is the granite headland that separates Norman Bay, the Tidal River campground's beach, from Little Oberon Bay to the south, and Scuba Doctor lists two shore dives on it – this one on its southern, Little Oberon Bay side, and Norman Bay South on its northern side. The point is named for Captain William Norman, who brought Governor Hotham to Melbourne in 1854. The dive is a reef of small granite boulders sloping to a sandy bottom at 5–18 m, with abundant fish and small marine invertebrates: kelp and mixed algae on the boulder tops, sponges, ascidians and anemones under them, wrasse, leatherjackets, morwong, old wives, sweep and zebrafish above, bullseyes and blue devils in the gaps, crayfish and abalone in the deeper crevices (fully protected here, inside the marine national park), and stingarees and flathead on the sand. Weedy seadragons are recorded around Norman Point and are worth searching for along the kelp edge. The water on the western Prom is strikingly clear on calm days – 15–20 m is normal – and the setting, under the granite slopes of Norman Point with Little Oberon's white beach curving away to the south, is as fine as any shore dive in Victoria. The difficulty is effort and exposure. It is a long walk from the car park in full scuba gear, which is why Scuba Doctor recommends a boat and why most people snorkel or freedive it instead; and the coast faces the prevailing swell, so it is only calm on easterly days. Strong surge and current develop off the tip of the point and the dive should stay on the bay side. For campers at Tidal River with an easterly forecast, the southern side of Norman Point is one of the best shore snorkels on the mainland coast and a rewarding scuba dive for those prepared to carry or boat their gear.
What you might see
Wrasse, leatherjackets, morwong, old wives, sweep, zebrafish, bullseyes, blue devils, weedy seadragons, southern rock lobster, abalone, sponges and ascidians, stingarees, kelp
Location
Southern side of Norman Point at the northern end of Little Oberon Bay, on the western side of Wilsons Promontory, 2 km south of the Tidal River campground.
Facilities nearby
Tidal River campground: toilets, hot showers, general store, visitor centre, no fuel or air; car parks at Norman Bay, Squeaky Beach, Picnic Bay and Whisky Bay; No air fills at Tidal River or Port Welshpool; the nearest compressor is roughly 100 km away (Melbourne's south-east or Inverloch/Leongatha area by arrangement) – bring all cylinders or a portable compressor
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.auscubadoctor.com.auscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.