Western Australia
Diving in Rottnest Island
Rottnest, 20 km off Fremantle, has more than 50 dive sites, the most shipwrecks on the WA coast (the Rottnest Wreck Trail and the deep Ships' Graveyard beyond) and coral growing at the southern limit of its range. Limestone caves, swim-throughs and ledges at Crystal Palace, Roe Reef and the Shark Cave are the classics; the West End has seals and pelagics.
THE LOCAL PLANNING BRIEF
Understand the options around Rottnest Island
Connect the island journey with the dive booking
Check whether your chosen product includes transport to the relevant departure point or requires a separate island transfer. Compare baggage and equipment handling before committing to the route, particularly if travelling with your own kit. The site directory helps you research the area, but does not confirm the operator’s itinerary. Make sure your return arrangements work with the actual trip schedule and its stated contingencies.
One useful question: Which transport is included, and what happens to the connection if the dive itinerary changes?
What this regional directory records Counts describe published records, not bookable trips or confirmed open sites.
There are 52 published site records in Rottnest Island. The recorded categories include wreck (18), reef (14), shore/rock platform (14), cave/cavern (4). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.
Use the Rottnest 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 Western Australia →Ask before booking
- Which town is the practical base for this departure?
- What transport and baggage limits apply?
- What is the plan if the departure is delayed?
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 Rottnest Island?
Begin with the individual site and its source notes, then discuss the proposed trip with a local provider. The 52 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 Rottnest 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: 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.
Dive sites in this region
Shore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Little Armstrong Bay
Calm, shallow seagrass maze in the Armstrong Bay Sanctuary Zone - an easy north-coast snorkel.
Shore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Little Parakeet Bay
A tiny, calm, shallow bay with coral gardens, starfish and stingrays - ideal for young children.
Shore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Little Salmon Bay
A sheltered south-coast lagoon with coral bommies in a few metres of water and a snorkel trail, diveable in most winds.
WreckRottnest Island
Miwok II Barge
A seldom-visited 1983 crane barge used for SAS demolition training, in clear 11 m water off Bickley Point.
ReefRottnest Island
North Point Reef
A narrow limestone ravine 8 m deep, lit by shafts of sunlight, cutting through an offshore mound at 18-26 m.
Shore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Pinky Beach
A wide, sheltered beach with an undulating coral reef beside the Bathurst Lighthouse, ten minutes from the ferry.
WreckRottnest Island
Raven Wreck
A hunt through kelp for the ballast stones and sheathing of an 1891 barque lost under a drunken skipper.
Shore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Rocky Bay
Remote, secluded lagoons behind rocks with turtles, octopus and stingrays - best on northerly mornings.
WreckRottnest Island
Rottnest Ships' Graveyard
Dozens of deliberately scuttled vessels, mostly unseen, in 46-200 m - Perth's frontier for technical wreck exploration.
Shore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Salmon Bay
A broad south-coast bay with shallow coral ledges and schools of bream, excellent in easterly winds.
WreckRottnest Island
Salmon Bay Unidentified Wreck
A lone boiler, shaft and propeller of unknown origin in clear 26 m water off Salmon Bay.
Cave/CavernRottnest Island
Swirl Reef
A crater-shaped reef with a huge light-shafted cave and multiple swim-throughs - Rottnest's most unusual formation.
Shore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
The Basin
A reef-ringed natural pool of clear, shallow water 20 minutes' walk from the ferry - Rottnest's easiest snorkel.
WreckRottnest Island
The Clipper (Maranda, Graveyard Site 06)
A deep, intact iron sailing-ship hull in 65 m, the best known of the Rottnest graveyard wrecks among Perth tech divers.
ReefRottnest Island
West End Reefs
Deep, current-swept spires and fissures at the far end of Rottnest with big fish, sharks and passing whales.
ReefRottnest Island
20 Metre Ridge
A deep offshore ridge at 20-32 m north of Rottnest for experienced divers seeking bigger fish and quiet water.
Details need confirmationReefRottnest Island
Cigar Reef
An offbeat reef with thermoclines, odd currents and a reputation for unusual creatures.
Details need confirmationShore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Fish Hook Bay
A remote West End bay with turquoise water, extensive reef and excellent visibility in a sanctuary zone.
Details need confirmationReefRottnest Island
Green Island (Rottnest)
A sanctuary-zone reef where endangered Australian sea lions haul out, with a chance of an in-water encounter.
Details need confirmationReefRottnest Island
Jackson's Rock
An isolated reef of ledges, gullies and caves 'packed with marine life', closer to Fremantle than most Rottnest sites.
Details need confirmationReefRottnest Island
Kingston Spit
A less-visited north-east reef with Roe Reef-style ledges and caves and better fish life because of low traffic.
Details need confirmationShore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Longreach Bay
A broad, calm north-coast bay close to the settlement with corals, tropical fish and occasional dolphins.
Details need confirmationShore/Rock PlatformRottnest Island
Mary Cove
A quiet, clear-water south-coast cove with rocky outcrops away from the crowds.
Details need confirmationCave/CavernRottnest Island
North Point Hole
A cavern dropping through the reef to 26 m, 'full of marine life', beside the North Point ravine.
Details need confirmation