New South Wales

Diving in Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Port Macquarie's reefs are a step down in fame from Fish Rock and Forster but not in quality. The Cod Hole and the Pinnacle off Tacking Point have grey nurse sharks and big schools of fish; the Coral Reef off Camden Haven is a genuine subtropical hard-coral patch; and the Wreck of the Ellenborough, a 1901 collier in 46 m, suits deep divers.

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YouDive turtle in an illustrated New South Wales setting; not a photograph of Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

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

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven at a glance

Start with the local site mix, explore the map and find people to ask about your trip.

Explore
19 site records
Recorded settings
Reef · Pinnacle/Bommie · Shore/Rock Platform
Map coverage
19 locations to explore
Plan with local help
Meet the listed operators

Directory counts describe published records, not bookable trips. Location confidence is shown separately in the map list. How we check information →

Sources, authorship and review status

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

Explore Port Macquarie & Camden Haven on the map

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.

19 matching records · 19 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.

The local notebook

Where should you start in Port Macquarie & Camden Haven?

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.

Different outings to look into

Details drawn from individual published site records
Local exampleRecorded nearby placeRecorded accessFollow the evidence
Port Macquarie Artificial ReefPort MacquarieBoatRecorded source ↗
Bird Rock (Port Macquarie)Port MacquarieBoatRecorded source ↗
Barry's Bay (Port Macquarie)Port MacquarieBoatRecorded source ↗
Port Macquarie – Flynns Beach & Shelly Beach shore/snorkelPort MacquarieShoreRead the research notes
How to use this shortlist

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 Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Get a feel for the diving

Our Port Macquarie & Camden Haven directory currently includes 19 published site records. The largest recorded category is reef (7 records). Use the mix below to decide what you would like to read about first.

The YouDive turtle introducing this destination’s guide

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven: what’s in the directory?

A visual guide to recorded site types. Counts show coverage, not popularity or current availability.

Reef7 records
Pinnacle/Bommie6 records
Shore/Rock Platform3 records
Artificial Reef1 record
Wall1 record
Other recorded types1 record

Source: published YouDive directory records for Port Macquarie & Camden Haven. Bars use the same scale within this graphic; the longest is the largest category, not 100% of the destination.

A few local records to compare

Start with Port Macquarie Artificial Reef, Bird Rock (Port Macquarie), Barry's Bay (Port Macquarie). 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.

One alphabetical example per recorded type, up to four types
SiteRecorded typeAccessDepth
Port Macquarie Artificial Reef

Details need confirmation

Artificial ReefBoat15–24 m
Bird Rock (Port Macquarie)Pinnacle/BommieBoat4–13 m
Barry's Bay (Port Macquarie)

Details need confirmation

ReefBoat8–20 m
Port Macquarie – Flynns Beach & Shelly Beach shore/snorkel

Details need confirmation

Shore/Rock PlatformShore2–8 m

How the recorded depths compare

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.

Make a NSW diving weekend your own

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.

Compare the shore day with the boat day

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.

Follow an interest, then check the setting

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.

Keep the weekend comfortable

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.

Three conversations worth having before you book

Shore outing

Where do we meet and collect the equipment?

Check the full access arrangement.

Boat outing

What does the ticket include for each person?

Separate diving from sightseeing products.

Wildlife interest

What observation guidance applies?

Keep sightings as a possibility.

From “that looks lovely” to a plan

Make Port Macquarie & Camden Haven your kind of dive trip

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.

Where are you on your diving journey?

These are learning paths to explore, not prerequisites for every local site. Confirm the actual course, instructor and your readiness with the provider.

People to talk to about Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

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

Scuba Haven Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie

A Port Macquarie SSI centre offering air and Nitrox, equipment servicing, and boat, shore and river dives around Port Macquarie and Laurieton.

Listed agencies: ssi. Check current affiliations and course availability.

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Let’s put the pieces together

Start with the place and your questions. Add dates and prices once you have spoken with the people running the trip.

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THE LOCAL PLANNING BRIEF

Understand the options around Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

What this regional directory records

There are 19 published site records in Port Macquarie & Camden Haven. The recorded categories include reef (7), pinnacle/bommie (6), shore/rock platform (3), artificial reef (1). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.

Use the Port Macquarie & Camden Haven 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 →

Ask before booking

  1. Where does the trip meet, and is parking or a transfer needed?
  2. Which alternative itinerary might be offered?
  3. What local park or access information should we check?

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 Port Macquarie & Camden Haven?

Begin with the individual site and its source notes, then discuss the proposed trip with a local provider. The 19 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 Port Macquarie & Camden Haven 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: Destination NSW — beaches and water activities ↗. Directory counts come from published YouDive records. Individual site claims remain subject to their source and review notes.

Dive sites in this region

Find local operators
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the sitePinnacle/Bommie

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Cod Grounds

A Commonwealth marine park protecting a cluster of pinnacles that is critical grey nurse shark habitat, with a strict…

BoatUp to 46 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the sitePinnacle/Bommie

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Bird Rock (Port Macquarie)

An easy, shallow, beginner-friendly rock circumnavigation with an optional deeper fly-over route for advanced divers.

BoatUp to 13 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Bonnie's Reef & Cathie Wall (Camden Haven)

A moderate-depth reef and wall complex with strong hard and soft coral cover, good nudibranch diversity and confident resident…

BoatUp to 20 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the sitePinnacle/Bommie

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Mermaid Reef (Camden Haven)

A scattered pinnacle and gutter system decorated with gorgonian fans, with both grey nurse and whaler sharks recorded.

BoatUp to 30 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the sitePinnacle/Bommie

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Old Faithful (Camden Haven)

A pinnacle with a large basal cave and sponge garden supporting the rare eastern blue devil fish — one of the better macro dives…

BoatUp to 25 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the sitePinnacle/Bommie

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

The Cod Hole (Port Macquarie)

Twin bommies linked by a natural arch, with resident wobbegongs and dense soft coral and sponge growth ideal for macro…

BoatUp to 18 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWreck

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

The Titan (Camden Haven wreck)

An unusual upside-down crane vessel wreck at 35-40 m, gradually being colonised by sponges and corals — a genuine insider's dive.

BoatUp to 40 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the sitePinnacle/Bommie

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Yabbies (Camden Haven)

An offshore plateau pinnacle with multiple rock swim-throughs and a nearby sponge garden, dived only in calm conditions.

BoatUp to 33 m
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Barry's Bay (Port Macquarie)

A varied, multi-gutter bay north of Port Macquarie popular for turtles, octopus, cuttlefish and wobbegongs.

BoatUp to 20 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Crowdy Head reefs

A little-documented cluster of headland reefs off a small fishing village, dived mainly by private boat.

Shore or BoatUp to 22 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Laurieton – Grants Head

A sheltered alternative headland reef on the North Haven side of the Camden Haven entrance.

Shore or BoatUp to 15 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Laurieton – Perpendicular Point

A headland reef at the Camden Haven entrance near Cod Grounds, known for strong jewfish and kingfish schools.

BoatUp to 30 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteShore/Rock Platform

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Port Macquarie – Flynns Beach & Shelly Beach shore/snorkel

Two popular Port Macquarie surf beaches with rocky points suitable for calm-day snorkelling rather than serious diving.

ShoreUp to 8 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteShore/Rock Platform

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Port Macquarie – Lighthouse Beach reef

A rock platform fringing a long ocean beach near Tacking Point Lighthouse, suitable for calm-day snorkelling.

ShoreUp to 10 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Port Macquarie – Tacking Point / Nobbys reefs

An easy, accessible reef off a historic lighthouse point, diveable from the beach on calm days or by a short boat trip.

Shore or BoatUp to 16 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteArtificial Reef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Port Macquarie Artificial Reef

A purpose-built fish-aggregation reef off Port Macquarie, an easy, moderate-depth boat dive close to the Hastings River mouth.

BoatUp to 24 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteShore/Rock Platform

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Port Macquarie Breakwall / Town Beach shore dive

Port Macquarie's convenient town-centre breakwall shore dive, sheltered from ocean swell and used mainly for training and easy…

ShoreUp to 9 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteReef

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

Shelley Wide (Port Macquarie)

An extensive rock ridge and gutter system off Shelly Beach known for genuine abundance of both fish and plant life.

BoatUp to 20 m
Details need confirmation
NSWYouDive mascot illustration; not a photograph of the siteWall

Port Macquarie & Camden Haven

The Wall (Port Macquarie)

A varied rock wall known locally for spectacular growth and different marine life on almost every visit.

BoatUp to 25 m
Details need confirmation