Lord Howe Island (Lagoon Road boatsheds)
46 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Lord Howe Island (Lagoon Road boatsheds) →New South Wales
Lord Howe is the world's southernmost coral reef, a World Heritage island 600 km east of the mainland with more than 90 coral species, 500 fish species and a mix of tropical and temperate life found nowhere else. The lagoon is shallow and snorkel-friendly; the outer sites, the Admiralty Islets, Erscott's Hole and the Arch, are boat dives in 20–40 m visibility with Galapagos whalers, huge kingfish and endemic doubleheader wrasse. Ball's Pyramid, 23 km south, is a rare-weather expedition dive.

Custom YouDive mascot art inspired by New South Wales. An imaginative illustration, not a photograph or map of this destination.
Your bearings, in a minute
Start with the local site mix, explore the map and find people to ask about your trip.
Directory counts describe published records, not bookable trips. Location confidence is shown separately in the map list. How we check information →
Prepared by YouDive editorial with AI assistance. No firsthand visit, equipment test or instructor review is implied.
Independent specialist review: pending. We publish a reviewer’s name, qualifications, date and exact review scope only after the review has actually happened.
Who can contribute and how reviews work →Find your bearings
Compare where the recorded sites sit, then open a site to read its access and source notes. Locations are for orientation, not marine navigation or entry instructions.
49 matching records · 49 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.
Pinnacle/Bommie · 0–28 m
Recorded location
Pinnacle/Bommie · 5–28 m
Approximate area
Reef · 12–30 m
Recorded location
Pinnacle/Bommie · 12–36 m
Approximate area
Island · Not recorded
Approximate area
Reef · 1–7 m
Approximate area
Reef · 8–22 m
Approximate area
Reef · Not recorded
Approximate area
Reef · 7–20 m
Recorded location
Reef · 1–8 m
Approximate area
Reef · Not recorded
Approximate area
Wreck · Not recorded
Approximate area
The local notebook
Use the actual places attached to the local records to narrow your research. These are recorded nearby towns and areas, not verified departure points or accommodation recommendations.
46 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Lord Howe Island (Lagoon Road boatsheds) →3 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Lord Howe Island (about 150–230 km south) →| Local example | Recorded nearby place | Recorded access | Follow the evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Caves | Lord Howe Island (Lagoon Road boatsheds) | Boat (day trip) | Recorded source ↗ |
| Blackburn Island | Lord Howe Island (Lagoon Road boatsheds) | Shore or Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Balls Pyramid – Ballina Rock | Lord Howe Island (Lagoon Road boatsheds) | Boat (day trip) | Recorded source ↗ |
| Balls Pyramid – South East Rock | Lord Howe Island (Lagoon Road boatsheds) | Boat (day trip) | Recorded source ↗ |
Choose the named outing that interests you first. Compare its recorded place and access with your accommodation plans, then obtain the actual meeting address and schedule from the provider. The site links show the underlying depth, location confidence and source notes. Similar town names or map positions do not establish that two outings can be combined in a day.
A closer look at Lord Howe Island
Our Lord Howe Island directory currently includes 49 published site records. The largest recorded category is reef (22 records). Use the mix below to decide what you would like to read about first.

A visual guide to recorded site types. Counts show coverage, not popularity or current availability.
Source: published YouDive directory records for Lord Howe Island. Bars use the same scale within this graphic; the longest is the largest category, not 100% of the destination.
Start with Twin Caves, Blackburn Island, Balls Pyramid – Ballina Rock. These are examples from different recorded categories, not a recommended route or a list of the best sites. Open each record for its sources, map and review notes.
| Site | Recorded type | Access | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Caves Details need confirmation | Cave/Cavern | Boat (day trip) | 2–20 m |
| Blackburn Island | Island | Shore or Boat | Depth not recorded |
| Balls Pyramid – Ballina Rock | Pinnacle/Bommie | Boat (day trip) | 0–28 m |
| Balls Pyramid – South East Rock | Reef | Boat (day trip) | 12–30 m |
A dot shows a recorded maximum. A line joins the recorded minimum and maximum when both are available. These are site descriptions, not target depths or certification limits.
The table above contains the same depth values. Depth alone cannot establish suitability, and records may require correction. Source: the linked site records.
Start with one local base and explore from there. A region can contain several different shore and boat options, so the useful comparison is the whole outing: access, support, equipment collection and the time you have.
For a shore outing, ask about the meeting place, equipment collection, facilities and the actual entry arrangements. For a boat booking, include boarding, return times and what you bring aboard. Neither access label tells you that a site is suitable for you. Share your recent experience and ask about the route the provider proposes for that particular day.
You might be drawn to a wreck record, a rocky reef or a marine-life photograph. Use that interest to start a conversation about the environment and support involved. A wildlife highlight is a reason to look more closely, not a sighting promise. Likewise, seeing a cave or wreck feature in a description does not establish that entering it is part of an appropriate outing.
Work out where you collect and return hire equipment, where the group meets and how much of the day the activity occupies. Plan meals, accommodation and any non-diving company around those details. If the preferred outing changes, ask which alternatives would still suit the group. A short list with clear arrangements is easier to use than a long list of famous sites.
Where do we meet and collect the equipment?
Check the full access arrangement.
What does the ticket include for each person?
Separate diving from sightseeing products.
What observation guidance applies?
Keep sightings as a possibility.
From “that looks lovely” to a plan
Find your starting point, meet the local options and keep your ideas together. You do not need to have the whole trip worked out yet.
Find out how a first course works, compare your options and get comfortable asking questions.
Connect your next outing with useful reading and a conversation about the right training and support.
Explore the professional pathway and prepare better questions for a training centre.
These are learning paths to explore, not prerequisites for every local site. Confirm the actual course, instructor and your readiness with the provider.
These profiles are based in the region or have a sourced link to one of its sites. Shown alphabetically, not as a quality ranking. Ask about the specific trip or course you want.
Listed in this region
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island's major verified PADI operation, identified as a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort and running the island's certified diving, training and charters.
Listed agencies: padi. Check current affiliations and course availability.
Meet this operator →Listed in this region
Lord Howe Island
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this region
Lord Howe Island
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this region
Lord Howe Island
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Start with the place and your questions. Add dates and prices once you have spoken with the people running the trip.
Creates a new trip with this destination, useful reading and starter questions. Saved on this browser; export a backup from My trips.
THE LOCAL PLANNING BRIEF
There are 49 published site records in Lord Howe Island. The recorded categories include reef (22), pinnacle/bommie (10), shore/rock platform (6), island (5). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.
Use the Lord Howe 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 New South Wales →Save the answers with the contact name and date. Separate confirmed arrangements from items still waiting for a reply.
Record your trip questions →Begin with the individual site and its source notes, then discuss the proposed trip with a local provider. The 49 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.
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.
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: Destination NSW — beaches and water activities ↗. Directory counts come from published YouDive records. Individual site claims remain subject to their source and review notes.
Search within Lord Howe Island, or narrow the list to a recorded dive type. Open a site for its map, sources and access notes.
49 matching site records. Listings do not confirm current access or availability.
Pinnacle/BommieLord Howe Island
The best chance of the rare Ballina angelfish, in a boulder field at the foot of a surface-breaking bommie with Galapagos sharks…
Pinnacle/BommieLord Howe Island
Drift through 5–8 m rock stacks and caves packed with lobsters, with Galapagos sharks circling on the safety stop and a chance of…
ReefLord Howe Island
Easy-profile Balls Pyramid dive on a boulder and ledge shelf with lobster-filled overhangs and plate coral – long bottom times in…
ReefLord Howe Island
The easiest introduction to Lord Howe's fish – a coral-walled lagoon hole packed with endemics.
ReefLord Howe Island
A deep lagoon bowl with a resident group of friendly Galapagos sharks.
ReefLord Howe Island
Coral-walled sanctuary pool in the lagoon – bluefish, doubleheaders and pygmy seahorses in almost any weather.
ReefLord Howe Island
A circular deep reef with some of the healthiest, most varied coral at Lord Howe, in 35 m visibility.
ReefLord Howe Island
Narrow coral cracks and overhangs with groups of crayfish – an easy-to-navigate structure dive.
Shore/Rock PlatformLord Howe Island
Knee-deep fish feeding with kingfish and drummer, then coral reef with turtles 30 m from the sand.
ReefLord Howe Island
One of the best reef dives at Lord Howe – coral-covered boulders and gorgonias in 40 m visibility with kingfish, trevally and…
Shore/Rock PlatformLord Howe Island
Secluded lagoon bay with coral, turtles and a 1965 tuna-boat wreck, reached only on foot or by boat.
Pinnacle/BommieLord Howe Island
A bommie cut by slits, canyons, craters and porthole openings – photogenic structure with Galapagos sharks in 30 m visibility.
Pinnacle/BommieLord Howe Island
Compact pinnacle packed with Lord Howe endemics – doubleheaders, McCulloch's anemonefish – plus a resident green turtle.
ReefLord Howe Island
Shallow finger reefs with hard coral cover rivalling the Great Barrier Reef, 40 m visibility and long bottom times.
ReefLord Howe Island
A swim-through arch made of coral – unique in NSW – with sweetlips inside and Galapagos sharks around.
Pinnacle/BommieLord Howe Island
Deeper Balls Pyramid pinnacle with bommies, gutters and ledges from 12 to 36 m – pelagics, Galapagos sharks and Ballina angelfish.
IslandLord Howe Island
Paddle to the lagoon's grassy island, climb for the view and snorkel around its shores.
ReefLord Howe Island
Swim-throughs lined with purple soft coral, fusilier schools and Galapagos sharks.
ReefLord Howe Island
One of the world's southernmost coral reefs – huge numbers of Galapagos sharks and black cod in a rarely visited marine national…
WreckLord Howe Island
Engine, refrigeration piping and steel boxes of a 1965 tuna boat, overgrown with coral in shallow water.
Pinnacle/BommieLord Howe Island
Deep pinnacle with schooling spangled emperor, huge kingfish and Meredith's and conspicuous angelfish.
ReefLord Howe Island
Sheltered north-coast reefs with swim-throughs, arches and anemone fields – Lord Howe's top macro site.
ReefLord Howe Island
Ledges and caves with lobsters and morays, and sand patches that can hold large groups of black-blotched stingrays.
ReefLord Howe Island
Shallow ledges full of spiny lobsters, octopus and soldierfish – easy, long dive.