Port Macquarie
10 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Port Macquarie →New South Wales
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.

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.
19 matching records · 19 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.
Reef · 8–20 m
Approximate area
Pinnacle/Bommie · 4–13 m
Approximate area
Reef · 8–20 m
Approximate area
Pinnacle/Bommie · 18–46 m
Approximate area
Reef · 8–22 m
Approximate area
Reef · 5–15 m
Approximate area
Reef · 10–30 m
Approximate area
Pinnacle/Bommie · 12–30 m
Approximate area
Pinnacle/Bommie · 10–25 m
Approximate area
Shore/Rock Platform · 2–8 m
Approximate area
Shore/Rock Platform · 2–10 m
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Reef · 4–16 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.
10 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Port Macquarie →8 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Laurieton →1 site record refers to this town or area.
Look for operators around Crowdy Head →| Local example | Recorded nearby place | Recorded access | Follow the evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Macquarie Artificial Reef | Port Macquarie | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Bird Rock (Port Macquarie) | Port Macquarie | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Barry's Bay (Port Macquarie) | Port Macquarie | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Port Macquarie – Flynns Beach & Shelly Beach shore/snorkel | Port Macquarie | Shore | Read the research notes |
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
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.

A visual guide to recorded site types. Counts show coverage, not popularity or current availability.
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.
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.
| Site | Recorded type | Access | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Macquarie Artificial Reef Details need confirmation | Artificial Reef | Boat | 15–24 m |
| Bird Rock (Port Macquarie) | Pinnacle/Bommie | Boat | 4–13 m |
| Barry's Bay (Port Macquarie) Details need confirmation | Reef | Boat | 8–20 m |
| Port Macquarie – Flynns Beach & Shelly Beach shore/snorkel Details need confirmation | Shore/Rock Platform | Shore | 2–8 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
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.
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 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 →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 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.
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 Port Macquarie & Camden Haven, or narrow the list to a recorded dive type. Open a site for its map, sources and access notes.
19 matching site records. Listings do not confirm current access or availability.
Pinnacle/BommiePort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A Commonwealth marine park protecting a cluster of pinnacles that is critical grey nurse shark habitat, with a strict…
Pinnacle/BommiePort Macquarie & Camden Haven
An easy, shallow, beginner-friendly rock circumnavigation with an optional deeper fly-over route for advanced divers.
ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A moderate-depth reef and wall complex with strong hard and soft coral cover, good nudibranch diversity and confident resident…
Pinnacle/BommiePort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A scattered pinnacle and gutter system decorated with gorgonian fans, with both grey nurse and whaler sharks recorded.
Pinnacle/BommiePort Macquarie & 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…
Pinnacle/BommiePort Macquarie & Camden Haven
Twin bommies linked by a natural arch, with resident wobbegongs and dense soft coral and sponge growth ideal for macro…
WreckPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
An unusual upside-down crane vessel wreck at 35-40 m, gradually being colonised by sponges and corals — a genuine insider's dive.
Pinnacle/BommiePort Macquarie & Camden Haven
An offshore plateau pinnacle with multiple rock swim-throughs and a nearby sponge garden, dived only in calm conditions.
ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A varied, multi-gutter bay north of Port Macquarie popular for turtles, octopus, cuttlefish and wobbegongs.
Details need confirmation
ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A little-documented cluster of headland reefs off a small fishing village, dived mainly by private boat.
Details need confirmation
ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A sheltered alternative headland reef on the North Haven side of the Camden Haven entrance.
Details need confirmation
ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A headland reef at the Camden Haven entrance near Cod Grounds, known for strong jewfish and kingfish schools.
Details need confirmation
Shore/Rock PlatformPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
Two popular Port Macquarie surf beaches with rocky points suitable for calm-day snorkelling rather than serious diving.
Details need confirmation
Shore/Rock PlatformPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A rock platform fringing a long ocean beach near Tacking Point Lighthouse, suitable for calm-day snorkelling.
Details need confirmation
ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
An easy, accessible reef off a historic lighthouse point, diveable from the beach on calm days or by a short boat trip.
Details need confirmation
Artificial ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A purpose-built fish-aggregation reef off Port Macquarie, an easy, moderate-depth boat dive close to the Hastings River mouth.
Details need confirmation
Shore/Rock PlatformPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
Port Macquarie's convenient town-centre breakwall shore dive, sheltered from ocean swell and used mainly for training and easy…
Details need confirmation
ReefPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
An extensive rock ridge and gutter system off Shelly Beach known for genuine abundance of both fish and plant life.
Details need confirmation
WallPort Macquarie & Camden Haven
A varied rock wall known locally for spectacular growth and different marine life on almost every visit.
Details need confirmation