The Ledges (Montague Island)

Meet the site

The Ledges is a Montague Island site on the eastern side of the island, described by the Marine Life Network as a series of underwater cliffs in relatively shallow water, away from the strong currents of the northern end. With a depth of about 18 m, it offers wall-like topography without the depth and current of sites such as The Keyhole or The Pinnacles.

Each ledge is a step of rock with a vertical or undercut face, the tops covered in kelp and the faces in sponges, sea squirts, anemones and encrusting algae. The undercuts shelter eastern blue devilfish, bullseyes, crayfish and wobbegongs, and Port Jackson sharks are common in winter. Over the ledges, schools of yellowtail, sweep and one-spot pullers mill about, blue groper and red morwong patrol, and kingfish and trevally sometimes sweep through. Because the eastern side faces open ocean, visibility can be excellent on the right day.

The site suits Open Water divers with some ocean experience and is a good alternative when current makes the northern sites unsuitable. It needs westerly weather to be calm, which is more common in autumn and winter. There is no published position, so the site is dived with Narooma operators. The limited published description means depths here are indicative. The eastern side also sees fewer boats than the northern sites, so divers often have the ledges to themselves. It is a good place for wide-angle wall shots with schooling fish when the visibility is up, and whales passing on their winter migration are sometimes heard underwater.

What you might see

Eastern blue devilfish, bullseyes, crayfish, wobbegongs, Port Jackson sharks, yellowtail, sweep, one-spot pullers, blue groper, red morwong, kingfish, trevally, sponges, sea squirts, kelp

Location

Series of underwater cliffs in relatively shallow water on the eastern side of Montague Island, away from the strong northern currents; about 18 m.

Facilities nearby

Narooma town wharf and marina.