Meet the site
The Bluff, or Rosetta Head, is the most popular shore dive at Victor Harbor and, according to Diving Adelaide, the easiest place in South Australia to find a leafy seadragon, with ten or more possible on a good day. The headland is a 97 m granite dome at the western end of Encounter Bay, formed when molten Encounter Bay Granite intruded older rocks around 475-500 million years ago, and it was the site of a shore whaling station from 1837 into the 1850s. Underwater, the granite continues as big boulders stacked one on top of another, creating holes, ledges and swim-throughs. The Federation gives depths from 4 m to 40 m, although most dives stay in 5-18 m along the boulders and weed. Sponges and soft corals grow in the shaded gaps, and kelp and other weeds cover the tops. The leafy seadragon population is described as exceptionally healthy, with many juveniles, and a small colony of weedy seadragons lives further out where the current increases. Other life includes seahorses, crayfish in the crevices, nudibranchs, cuttlefish, sea stars, morwong, blue devils, boxfish, globefish and sweep, and sea lions and seals regularly visit. The Marine Life Network notes that the deeper boulders around the Bluff offer the best diving. Conditions are everything here. The site is fully exposed to southerly winds and swell, and there are usually particles in the water even on good days. After several days of northerly winds, though, it can be superb. The Bluff suits Open Water divers comfortable with a shore entry and some current, and is a must for seadragon photographers. Keep your distance from the dragons and avoid disturbing the weed they shelter in.
What you might see
Leafy seadragons (abundant, incl. juveniles), weedy seadragons, seahorses, crayfish, nudibranchs, cuttlefish, sea stars, morwong, blue devilfish, boxfish, globefish, sweep, sea lions and seals, sponges, soft corals
Location
Granite headland (97 m) at the western end of Encounter Bay; the dive runs from a small fishing jetty on its eastern side along stacked granite boulders from 4 m down to 18 m and deeper.
Facilities nearby
Parking at the small beach in the bend and near the Bluff jetty; the Bluff boat ramp; toilets at the Bluff boat ramp area; Victor Harbor town (cafes, shops, accommodation) 5 minutes away; no verified dive shop in Victor Harbor – bring filled tanks from Adelaide.
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
divingadelaide.com.ausdfsa.netthediveshack.com.aumarinelife.org.auen.wikipedia.orgpetlet.net.audivingadelaide.com.auenvironment.sa.gov.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.