Meet the site
Pimpernel Rock is one of the more serious and less accessible dive sites on the NSW North Coast, an isolated U-shaped pinnacle rising from 40 m of water at the north-western corner of the Solitary Islands Marine Park, roughly 7.4 km off Sandon Point in Yuraygir National Park. The rock has three summits — the main one at the base of the U and two smaller ones near the tips — none rising much above 15-20 m, and the site's centrepiece is a huge natural tunnel running through the bottom of the U, a passage large enough, in the words of local operators, to fit a semi-trailer through, with its roof at about 27 m and the sand floor beneath at around 40 m. This scale of structure at this depth attracts correspondingly serious marine life: schools of well over a hundred huge jewfish and equally large aggregations of yellowtail kingfish have been reported moving through the tunnel and around the summits, trevally and giant trevally work the current lines, and grey nurse sharks are regularly found holding station in the tunnel and along the deeper walls, sheltering from the current in the same way they do at shallower sites further south. Thousands of sea whips studded with tiger (wandering) anemones cover the rock at depth, giving the site a striking, almost coral-garden appearance despite its temperate/subtropical latitude. Access defines everything about diving Pimpernel Rock: it has no permanent mooring, sits at the very edge of what any operator on this coast will attempt, and requires calm, settled weather that can be rare through large parts of the year — trips run from Wooli, roughly 90 minutes each way, only when conditions genuinely allow, and Wooli Dive Centre requires a minimum group of about 10 divers, split into groups of three or four led by a divemaster or instructor, with a prerequisite of Advanced Open Water certification and at least 30 recent dives including deep experience. Currents here can be strong enough to sweep an inattentive diver away from the pinnacle into open blue water, and the depth of the main tunnel puts real limits on no-decompression bottom time, making nitrox a common choice for operators wanting to offer more than one dive in a day. For experienced divers prepared to work around its access demands, Pimpernel Rock offers one of the most dramatic combinations of scale, depth and big-animal life on the entire NSW coast.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Pimpernel Rock is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Coffs Harbour & Solitary Islands. The listed access is boat (multi-day/liveaboard). 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
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 Pimpernel Rock suitable for my certification?
The record lists Deep/Advanced + experience. 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 Pimpernel Rock 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
Grey nurse sharks, schools of huge jewfish (100+), huge kingfish schools (100+), trevally, giant trevally, bream, sea whips with tiger/wandering anemones, occasional hammerhead sharks
Location
An isolated U-shaped submerged pinnacle with three summits about 7.4 km off Sandon Point in Yuraygir National Park, at the north-western edge of the Solitary Islands Marine Park; a huge tunnel/cave the size of a semi-trailer runs through the base of the U from about 27 m to a 40 m sand bottom.
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
jettydive.com.aumichaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.