Meet the site
Flynns Beach and Shelly Beach are two of Port Macquarie's most popular ocean beaches, both a short distance from the town centre and both fringed with rocky points that offer reasonable calm-day snorkelling rather than serious scuba diving. As with similar surf beaches throughout the region, these are primarily swimming, surfing and family beaches rather than dive destinations, and Port Macquarie's dive operators concentrate their boat trips on the area's more substantial reef and pinnacle sites further offshore rather than promoting shore diving here. That said, the rock platforms at each beach's northern and southern points support a reasonable variety of small reef fish and invertebrates, enough to make an interesting, low-key snorkel on a calm day, particularly for visitors without their own dive gear or a boat booking. Shelly Beach in particular has slightly more substantial rock structure than the open sand of Flynns Beach, and its name likely reflects a shell-rich foreshore rather than any connection to the larger, better-known Shelly Beach near Manly in Sydney. Given the modest scuba interest at either site, most visiting divers are better served heading offshore with Scuba Haven for a proper reef or pinnacle dive; these beaches are best treated as a pleasant, easy option for a family snorkel or a between-dives swim rather than a planned diving destination, and should only be entered in calm conditions given their genuine surf-beach exposure and rip current risk. Anyone visiting primarily to dive rather than swim should treat a stop here as a bonus alongside a boat trip rather than the main event of a Port Macquarie visit.
What you might see
General surf-beach reef fish and invertebrates around the rocky points
Location
Two popular Port Macquarie ocean beaches with rocky points offering calm-day snorkelling and occasional shore diving, both a short walk from town.
Facilities nearby
Surf clubs, car parking, toilets, cafes at both beaches.
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.
Record updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.