Meet the site
Yellow Rock is the infamous rock-fishing ledge at the seaward corner of the Long Bay Rifle Range, and the reef below it is a very good dive that almost nobody does. From the platform the bottom drops to 10 m, then to a shelf at 17–20 m, then to 23 m and gradually down to 26 m, mostly small rocks and sand with a fair amount of kelp. The feature everyone remembers is a large crack running into the rock platform, about 15 m deep at its mouth and 10 m at its head, into which decades ago people pushed cars off the cliff: engines, whole rear axles, wheels and body panels are still wedged in it, now encrusted with growth. Around the anchorage there are caves and swim-throughs in the boulders, and out to seaward a north–south wall with its top at 20 m and base at about 24 m, undercut with small overhangs and covered in sea squirts, gorgonians and sponges. Fish life is strong: eastern rock blackfish and luderick in the shallows, schools of seapike, yellowtail, one-spot pullers and silver sweep over the reef, black reef leatherjackets, eastern blue devilfish under the ledges, wobbegongs and black rays, and Port Jackson sharks in numbers in August. Weedy seadragons are reliable in the kelp from July to December. The site was first dived by McFadyen in 1997 as a drift south to the MV Malabar wreck and revisited in 2004; he rates it a very good site worth many dives. Its history is inseparable from the 1990 outfall: before that the effluent plume made this whole coast unusable and the platform was famous only for drownings. Today it is a private-boat dive from Botany Bay for advanced divers on a calm day, and a sobering one when you look up at the ledge.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Yellow Rock (Malabar) is recorded as Reef in Sydney South & Botany Bay. 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.
- 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 Yellow Rock (Malabar) 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 Yellow Rock (Malabar) 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
Weedy seadragon, Port Jackson shark (August), eastern blue devilfish, wobbegong, black ray, eastern rock blackfish, luderick, seapike, yellowtail, one-spot pullers, silver sweep, black reef leatherjacket, sea squirts, gorgonians, sponges
Location
Reef off the south-eastern corner of the Long Bay Rifle Range at Malabar, below Australia's most notorious rock-fishing platform; a kelp and boulder slope with a large 15 m crack full of dumped car parts and a north–south wall at 20–24 m.
Facilities nearby
None.
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
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
