Meet the site
Stenhouse Bay was once a busy gypsum port: from 1913 until the 1930s gypsum mined around Inneston and Lake Stenhouse was railed to the bay and loaded onto ketches and steamers from this jetty. The mine town is now part of Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, and the jetty is one of the best and most unusual jetty dives in South Australia. The piles stand in about 8-10 m of clear, oceanic-influenced water, and their growth is quite different from the gulf jetties. The Dive Shack highlights basket stars, gorgonians and other marine life not common around the peninsula, and visitor information adds leafy seadragons and boxfish. Sponges, soft corals and ascidians coat the timber, and the SDFSA describes amazing life on the numerous pylons. Magpie perch, old wives, zebrafish, sweep and leatherjackets school under the deck, blue groper visit, and a low reef under the outer end adds crevices for crayfish and octopus. Two oddities add interest: an upside-down Ford Telstar sitting on the bottom at the end of the jetty, and, just to the east, the hull of the four-masted barque Hougomont, scuttled in 1933 as a breakwater. Many divers do both on one tank. The catch is the entry. Access is down a steep path and a ladder, which is hard work with twin tanks or a heavy rig and dangerous in surge. Visitor information recommends it for advanced divers only, attempted in minimal swell. On a calm day, though, it offers clear water, rare invertebrates and a historic wreck, all from shore.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Stenhouse Bay Jetty is recorded as Jetty/Pier in Yorke Peninsula. The listed access is shore or boat. 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
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 Stenhouse Bay Jetty 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 Stenhouse Bay Jetty 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
Basket stars, gorgonians, sponges, soft corals, leafy seadragons, boxfish, magpie perch, old wives, zebrafish, sweep, leatherjackets, western blue groper, southern rock lobster, octopus
Location
Old gypsum-loading jetty at Stenhouse Bay inside Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, in 8-10 m, with richly encrusted piles, an upside-down car at the end and the Hougomont wreck alongside.
Facilities nearby
Car park, visitor centre with toilets at Stenhouse Bay; store, pub, caravan park and boat ramp at Marion Bay.
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
thediveshack.com.ausdfsa.netmarinelife.org.auvisityorkepeninsula.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.