South Australia
Diving in Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island has clear water, granite reefs, sea lions and leafy seadragons, and almost nobody dives it. The north coast around Kingscote, Emu Bay and Western River Cove is the sheltered side; the Kingscote jetty is a good easy dive, and the wrecks of the Loch Vennachar and Portland Maru sit on the wild south and west coasts.
THE LOCAL PLANNING BRIEF
Understand the options around Kangaroo Island
What this regional directory records Counts describe published records, not bookable trips or confirmed open sites.
There are 28 published site records in Kangaroo Island. The recorded categories include wreck (7), reef (6), shore/rock platform (5), jetty/pier (4). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.
Use the Kangaroo Island site cards to compare recorded access and depth, then open the individual pages for the map accuracy and source notes. Sites grouped in a region are not necessarily close enough to combine in one day.
Research operators in South Australia →Ask before booking
- Is the proposed activity open water or an overhead environment?
- Who manages access and where can we check current rules?
- Which equipment and transport arrangements must be booked ahead?
Save the answers with the contact name and date. Separate confirmed arrangements from items still waiting for a reply.
Record your trip questions →Questions, answered
How do I choose a dive in Kangaroo Island?
Begin with the individual site and its source notes, then discuss the proposed trip with a local provider. The 28 published records are research options, not a list of trips available today. Match the plan to your training, recent experience and the operator’s current requirements.
When should I visit Kangaroo Island for diving?
Choose dates with a provider who runs the activity you want, then discuss seasonal patterns, recent conditions and alternative itineraries. A generic best-month claim cannot establish the conditions at your exact site or guarantee a wildlife encounter.
Can I use these maps to enter or navigate a dive site?
No. Recorded and approximate map positions support orientation only. Confirm the exact access, permissions, meeting point and route with the responsible local provider or manager.
Regional planning context: South Australian Tourism Commission — regional trip information ↗. Directory counts come from published YouDive records. Individual site claims remain subject to their source and review notes.
Dive sites in this region
Jetty/PierKangaroo Island
Kingscote Jetty
Leafy seadragons, seahorses and giant cuttlefish under an easy town jetty – Kangaroo Island's reliable fall-back dive.
WreckKangaroo Island
Loch Vennachar Wreck
The scattered iron of a Loch Line clipper that vanished with all hands in 1905, beneath the cliffs at West Bay.
WreckKangaroo Island
Portland Maru Wreck
Boilers, engine and propeller shaft of a 117 m Japanese steamer in 15 m – Kangaroo Island's biggest wreck.
Shore/Rock PlatformKangaroo Island
Western River Cove
Kangaroo Island's classic shore dive – colourful reef fish in the shallows and gorgonians and blue groper on the deeper western…
ReefKangaroo Island
Cape du Couedic – Admirals Arch
A fur seal colony under a sculpted sea arch – a land-based wildlife highlight, not a dive.
Jetty/PierKangaroo Island
Emu Bay Jetty
A quiet, sheltered north-coast jetty with weedy seadragons and cuttlefish over white sand.
WreckKangaroo Island
Fides Wreck
Brass fittings, bottles and cargo from an 1860 barque scattered in a gully beneath the north-west cliffs.
Shore/Rock PlatformKangaroo Island
Hanson Bay
A wild south-coast bay with salmon, trevally and big kelp – diveable only in rare calms.
ReefKangaroo Island
Kangaroo Head
One of Kangaroo Island's best leafy seadragon reefs, at an easy 9 m.
WreckKangaroo Island
Kona Wreck (Antechamber Bay)
Forecastle and bows of a 1917 four-masted schooner in 2 m – a snorkelable piece of the shipwreck trail.
Jetty/PierKangaroo Island
Penneshaw Jetty
A shallow, easy jetty dive with gorgonians beside the ferry terminal – best at night.
WallKangaroo Island
Snug Cove
Walls, gutters and ledges beneath 200 m cliffs on the remote north-west coast, with the Fides wreck nearby.
Shore/Rock PlatformKangaroo Island
Stokes Bay
A sheltered rock pool reached through a boulder tunnel – Kangaroo Island's best family snorkel, with seahorses in the weed.
IslandKangaroo Island
The Pages
Pristine walls and big fish schools around sea lion islets in the middle of Backstairs Passage.
Jetty/PierKangaroo Island
Vivonne Bay Jetty
The most sheltered corner of the south coast – jetty and reef towards Point Ellen in clear Southern Ocean water.
Muck/SandKangaroo Island
American River
A sheltered tidal channel muck dive for seahorses and pipefish at the entrance to Pelican Lagoon.
Details need confirmationReefKangaroo Island
Ballast Head
A sheltered, little-documented headland reef in Nepean Bay near Kingscote.
Details need confirmationWallKangaroo Island
Cape Torrens
Deep drop-offs covered in gorgonians and zoanthids beneath South Australia's highest coastal cliffs.
Details need confirmationReefKangaroo Island
Cape Willoughby
Current-swept reef below South Australia's oldest lighthouse (1852) at KI's eastern tip.
Details need confirmationShore/Rock PlatformKangaroo Island
Harveys Return
Harlequin fish and giant blue groper at a historic lighthouse landing, reached by a steep 750 m track.
Details need confirmationReefKangaroo Island
Hog Bay – Frenchmans Rock Reef
An easy reef snorkel in front of the Frenchmans Rock monument, a short walk from the ferry.
Details need confirmationReefKangaroo Island
King George Beach
A remote north-coast reef with longsnout boarfish and herring cale, reached by 4WD along the beach.
Details need confirmationArtificial ReefKangaroo Island
Kingscote Tyre Reef
An early SA tyre-module fishing reef in sheltered Nepean Bay – a curiosity for boat divers.
Details need confirmationWreckKangaroo Island
Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef
Anchors and timbers of the 1884 barque Fanny M hidden in a sheltered weedy reef off Kingscote.
Details need confirmation