Quarry Bay

Meet the site

Quarry Bay is a small bay near Cape Leeuwin with a piece of history in its name. Marinelife.org.au notes that limestone was hewn here for the blocks of the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. It describes a bay about 200 m across at its entrance, where waves break over granite rocks and reefs at the mouth and lower the wave energy at the shore, and says the reefs near the beach are usually suitable for snorkelling in calm weather, making it a good snorkel dive.

The mix of granite and limestone near the beach gives shallow reef with weed, small fish and invertebrates, in a sheltered pocket on a very exposed coastline. It is a quiet spot, visited mostly by walkers on the Cape to Cape Track and locals.

It suits snorkellers and families on calm days; scuba divers will find it shallow. Keep inside the bay and away from the breaking water at the mouth.

Combine a visit with Skippy Rock and the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, whose tower was built from stone quarried here.

The coast around Cape Leeuwin is where the Indian and Southern oceans meet, and it is one of the most exposed shorelines in Australia. The sheltered coves and bays near Augusta are the exceptions, which is why local divers value them. There is no dive shop in Augusta, so bring filled cylinders from Busselton or Perth, and remember that the nearest recompression chamber is at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, about four hours' drive away. Ngari Capes Marine Park zoning includes sanctuary zones at Cape Leeuwin and East Flinders Bay, so check the maps before fishing or collecting.

What you might see

Western king wrasse, small reef fish, weed and kelp, sea urchins, invertebrates

Location

Small bay about 200 m wide near Cape Leeuwin where waves break over granite reefs at the mouth, leaving calmer water near the beach for snorkelling; its limestone was quarried for the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.

Facilities nearby

Gravel car park; no facilities; Augusta nearby.