Onslow
16 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Onslow →Western Australia
The Dampier Archipelago and the Montebello Islands have coral reefs, WWII and pearling wrecks and turtles in warm, tidal, often turbid water. Onslow is the launch point for the Mackerel Islands and the Montebellos, where the 1950s British nuclear test sites are now a marine park with excellent, remote diving.

Custom YouDive mascot art inspired by Western Australia. 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.
31 matching records · 31 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.
Pinnacle/Bommie · 15–20 m
Approximate area
Reef · 2–15 m
Approximate area
Island · 12–19 m
Approximate area
Reef · 10–17 m
Approximate area
Reef · 4–9 m
Approximate area
Wreck · 3–9 m
Recorded location
Island · 5–14 m
Approximate area
Island · 1–3 m
Approximate area
Wreck · 4–8 m
Recorded location
Island · 5–17 m
Approximate area
Pinnacle/Bommie · 5–8 m
Approximate area
Reef · 10–14 m
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.
16 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Onslow →12 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Dampier →3 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Point Samson →| Local example | Recorded nearby place | Recorded access | Follow the evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mermaid Passage (Dampier) | Dampier | Boat (day trip) | Recorded source ↗ |
| Bessieres Island | Onslow | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Thevenard Island Pier | Onslow | Shore | Recorded source ↗ |
| Bare Rock (Dampier) | Dampier | 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 Pilbara & Dampier
Our Pilbara & Dampier directory currently includes 31 published site records. The largest recorded category is island (9 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 Pilbara & Dampier. Bars use the same scale within this graphic; the longest is the largest category, not 100% of the destination.
Start with Mermaid Passage (Dampier), Bessieres Island, Thevenard Island Pier. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mermaid Passage (Dampier) Details need confirmation | Drift | Boat (day trip) | 8–18 m |
| Bessieres Island | Island | Boat | 12–19 m |
| Thevenard Island Pier | Jetty/Pier | Shore | 2–4 m |
| Bare Rock (Dampier) Details need confirmation | Pinnacle/Bommie | Boat (day trip) | 15–20 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.
Western Australia is a collection of very different trip ideas. Use a specific region to narrow the search, then make the departure, equipment support and travel arrangements the centre of your plan.
Be clear whether you want certified scuba diving, a course, snorkelling or a wildlife excursion. Similar photographs can advertise different activities. If friends are travelling together, list each person’s intended activity separately and ask whether a shared departure is possible. That makes the quote easier to compare and helps avoid booking a memorable-looking trip that does not include the experience you wanted.
A ferry, accommodation booking and dive trip may need separate reservations. Check how their meeting and return times fit together and which operator supplies each part. For a coastal road trip, anchor the diving around one confirmed base at a time. A broad region name is a browsing label, not a transfer estimate or a promise of equipment support in every town.
Ask about hire sizes, guiding, gas and equipment services relevant to your actual plans. Record the response and its date rather than assuming a service from a business name. Keep an alternative activity in the itinerary and understand the terms for a changed departure. Buying flexibility in the travel plan can be more useful than collecting extra site names.
Do the passenger transfer and dive booking connect?
Check each supplier’s timetable.
Which town supports the actual outing?
Build transport around the meeting point.
Is this scuba, snorkelling or sightseeing?
Compare the right activity and inclusions.
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
Karratha
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this region
Onslow
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this region
Exmouth
Open the profile for contact details and recorded services, then ask about current arrangements.
Meet this operator →Listed in this region
Karratha
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 31 published site records in Pilbara & Dampier. The recorded categories include island (9), reef (8), wreck (6), pinnacle/bommie (3). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.
Use the Pilbara & Dampier 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 Western Australia →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 31 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: Tourism Western Australia — maritime heritage and shipwrecks ↗. Directory counts come from published YouDive records. Individual site claims remain subject to their source and review notes.
Search within Pilbara & Dampier, or narrow the list to a recorded dive type. Open a site for its map, sources and access notes.
31 matching site records. Listings do not confirm current access or availability.
WreckPilbara & Dampier
A cyclone-wrecked sailing ship with anchor, masts and bow above water.
WreckPilbara & Dampier
A triple-expansion engine and bent propeller shaft swept by giant trevally.
WreckPilbara & Dampier
A giant cyclone-wrecked derrick barge in shallow water.
ReefPilbara & Dampier
A fully no-take marine park with a green turtle breeding aggregation.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
Friendly potato cod and turtles on coral ridges.
ReefPilbara & Dampier
The Mackerel Islands' best dive: caves, ledges and canyons full of fish.
ReefPilbara & Dampier
Shallow arches and ledges with schooling snapper.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
Branching coral gardens on a remote turtle island.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
Easy shallow snorkelling around a tiny island.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
Coral-dominated fringing reefs with gorgonians on the deeper edge.
Pinnacle/BommiePilbara & Dampier
Nudibranch-rich bommies close to Thevenard.
ReefPilbara & Dampier
Colourful caves and ledges with sharks.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
Gutters and pinnacles on an exposed outer island.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
The archipelago's best drop-off, with gorgonians and pelagics to 30 m+.
WallPilbara & Dampier
A 30 m gorgonian-covered drop-off with groper and sharks on the remote Montebellos.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
Remote, rarely dived lagoons and reefs in a large sanctuary-zone marine park.
Shore/Rock PlatformPilbara & Dampier
Epaulette sharks among shallow rocks on the Burrup.
ReefPilbara & Dampier
A deeper ridge named for its Rankin cod.
Pinnacle/BommiePilbara & Dampier
Resting nurse sharks and wobbegongs on a shallow bommie.
IslandPilbara & Dampier
Sheltered bays and varied reefs on a large outer island.
ReefPilbara & Dampier
Coral shallows and a pelagic-patrolled wall.
Jetty/PierPilbara & Dampier
An easy macro dive on coral-covered pylons.
ReefPilbara & Dampier
Crevices and small caves with sharks and rays.
WreckPilbara & Dampier
Australia's oldest known shipwreck (1622), with cannons and anchors in 6 m.