Meet the site
Yabbies is an offshore plateau and pinnacle formation roughly 30 minutes by boat south of Port Macquarie, in the general Camden Haven offshore reef cluster alongside Mermaid Reef and Old Faithful. The site rises from a deep plateau edge around 24-33 metres to a distinct peak at about 12 metres, and its standout feature is a set of multiple swim-throughs cut into the rock, giving the dive a genuine sense of exploration rather than a simple perimeter swim around a bommie. A sponge garden lies roughly 100 metres to the north-east of the main structure and is worth the extra swim on a calm day with good visibility, adding a contrasting stretch of soft-bottom colour to the harder rock topography of the pinnacle itself. Because the site sits some distance offshore with no natural shelter, it is very much a calm-weather-only proposition, and local operators will only run the longer trip out to Yabbies when conditions are settled enough to justify it over the closer, more sheltered options nearer Port Macquarie or Camden Haven. This relative inaccessibility means it remains one of the region's less-dived sites despite offering genuinely interesting swim-through terrain, and it rewards divers with good buoyancy control and a taste for exploring rock architecture over open-water schooling-fish spectacle. It is best suited to confident, advanced-level divers comfortable with a multi-level profile across the plateau's full depth range, and is typically offered as a special-conditions trip rather than a standard daily option. Its remoteness relative to the more sheltered inshore options is exactly what keeps it in good, lightly dived condition for the divers who do make the trip.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Yabbies (Camden Haven) is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Port Macquarie & Camden Haven. The listed access is 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
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 Yabbies (Camden Haven) suitable for my certification?
The record lists Deep/Advanced + experience. 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 Yabbies (Camden Haven) 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
Reef fish typical of offshore Camden Haven pinnacles, sponges, possible pelagic visitors, invertebrates in the swim-throughs
Location
An offshore plateau and pinnacle formation about 30 minutes south of Port Macquarie (off Camden Haven), rising from 24-33 m to a 12 m peak, with multiple swim-throughs and a nearby sponge garden.
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
mudgeediveandtravel.comRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.