Byron Bay
12 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Byron Bay →New South Wales
Julian Rocks, 2.5 km off Byron Bay, is the most biodiverse dive site in NSW: turtles by the dozen, wobbegongs stacked in the caves, grey nurse sharks in winter, leopard sharks and manta rays in summer, and more than 1,000 recorded species. The Cod Hole, the Nursery and Hugo's Trench are the classic circuits. Cook Island off Tweed Heads has similar life on a smaller scale.

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.
21 matching records · 21 with a map location · 0 without a usable position.
Reef · 4–16 m
Approximate area
Shore/Rock Platform · 1–8 m
Approximate area
Island · 6–22 m
Approximate area
Island · 8–24 m
Approximate area
Shore/Rock Platform · 2–10 m
Approximate area
Reef · 10–22 m
Approximate area
Cave/Cavern · 15–22 m
Approximate area
Cave/Cavern · 12–25 m
Approximate area
Reef · 8–18 m
Approximate area
Pinnacle/Bommie · 9–17 m
Approximate area
Cave/Cavern · 15–24 m
Approximate area
Pinnacle/Bommie · 5–12 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.
12 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Byron Bay →2 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Tweed Heads →2 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Tweed Heads / Coolangatta →2 site records refer to this town or area.
Look for operators around Tweed Heads / Fingal Head →1 site record refers to this town or area.
Look for operators around Byron Bay / Suffolk Park →1 site record refers to this town or area.
Look for operators around Kingscliff →| Local example | Recorded nearby place | Recorded access | Follow the evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julian Rocks – Cod Hole | Byron Bay | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Cook Island – Northern Ledge | Tweed Heads / Fingal Head | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Julian Rocks – Mackerel Boulder | Byron Bay | Boat | Recorded source ↗ |
| Broken Head reefs | Byron Bay / Suffolk Park | Shore or Boat | 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 Tweed & Byron Bay
Our Tweed & Byron Bay directory currently includes 21 published site records. The largest recorded category is reef (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 Tweed & Byron Bay. Bars use the same scale within this graphic; the longest is the largest category, not 100% of the destination.
Start with Julian Rocks – Cod Hole, Cook Island – Northern Ledge, Julian Rocks – Mackerel Boulder. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julian Rocks – Cod Hole | Cave/Cavern | Boat | 15–22 m |
| Cook Island – Northern Ledge | Island | Boat | 6–22 m |
| Julian Rocks – Mackerel Boulder Details need confirmation | Pinnacle/Bommie | Boat | 9–17 m |
| Broken Head reefs Details need confirmation | Reef | Shore or Boat | 4–16 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
Brunswick Heads
A Brunswick Heads charter running the 8.5-metre catamaran Bay Warrior to Julian Rocks and less-visited Byron sites such as Windarra Banks and the Cape Pinnacle.
Meet this operator →Listed in this region
Byron Bay
Byron Bay's original dive centre, running daily Julian Rocks dive and snorkel trips from The Pass with PADI and SSI training and an onsite pool.
Listed agencies: padi, ssi. Check current affiliations and course availability.
Meet this operator →Source-linked to a site in this region
Runaway Bay
A Gold Coast operation focused on guided local diving and charter access to offshore sites.
Meet this operator →Source-linked to a site in this region
Miami
A Gold Coast training and service business serving local divers and visitors.
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
The directory groups Tweed and Byron Bay records for browsing, but a booking still needs a named departure location. The NSW Government identifies Julian Rocks Nguthungulli Nature Reserve off Cape Byron. If that is the place you want to research, say so explicitly when enquiring; a general request for northern NSW diving leaves too much unresolved. Match accommodation and transport to the actual product.
One useful question: Which town and meeting point serve this trip, and is Julian Rocks the proposed destination or one possible alternative?
| Your interest | Research next | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Byron Bay objective | Name the site or nature reserve when discussing the trip. | A broad regional booking description may not identify the intended destination. |
| Tweed accommodation | Check the road transfer to the confirmed departure separately. | Do not treat the directory’s combined region name as a travel-time estimate. |
| Itinerary uncertainty | Ask how alternatives are selected and communicated. | A named attraction in a guide does not guarantee the boat itinerary. |
Local context: NSW Government — Julian Rocks Nguthungulli Nature Reserve. Prepared 1 October 2026; this is destination research, not current access verification.
There are 21 published site records in Tweed & Byron Bay. The recorded categories include reef (9), pinnacle/bommie (4), cave/cavern (3), shore/rock platform (3). These categories reflect the database; they are not a ranking, a conditions report or an assessment of your suitability.
Use the Tweed & Byron Bay 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 21 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 Tweed & Byron Bay, or narrow the list to a recorded dive type. Open a site for its map, sources and access notes.
21 matching site records. Listings do not confirm current access or availability.
Cave/CavernTweed & Byron Bay
Julian Rocks' signature swim-through/cave, packed with wobbegongs year-round and grey nurse sharks resting in the passage through…
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
A pair of sheer-walled parallel trenches offering shelter from swell and some of the best macro life at Julian Rocks.
Pinnacle/BommieTweed & Byron Bay
Julian Rocks' big-animal site: a summer leopard shark aggregation among towering bommies, plus regular manta rays and schooling…
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
The most colourful, fish-dense and sheltered quarter of Julian Rocks; the classic beginner, training and snorkel site where…
IslandTweed & Byron Bay
Turtle-rich aquatic reserve minutes from Tweed Heads/Coolangatta with multiple moorings so it can be dived in almost any swell;…
Cave/CavernTweed & Byron Bay
A narrow swim-through on Julian Rocks' most exposed flank, one of the best places on the island to find resting grey nurse sharks…
Pinnacle/BommieTweed & Byron Bay
A distinctive split rock formation within the sheltered Nursery, easy and photogenic, popular with course students.
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
One of the region's best-known winter grey nurse shark aggregation sites, in a natural amphitheatre nicknamed the Shark Pit, 15…
Shore/Rock PlatformTweed & Byron Bay
Surprisingly rich muck/critter shore dive right in the river mouth; tropical juveniles recruit here in summer and autumn on the…
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
A rarely dived inshore reef inside a protected coastal nature reserve south of Byron Bay — solitude on the rare flat day.
Details need confirmation
Shore/Rock PlatformTweed & Byron Bay
Diving and snorkelling at mainland Australia's most easterly point, on the rare calm day; otherwise a scenic novelty rather than…
Details need confirmation
IslandTweed & Byron Bay
The more exposed, current-affected southern flank of Cook Island, offering deeper ledges and better pelagic fish encounters than…
Details need confirmation
Shore/Rock PlatformTweed & Byron Bay
A well-known surf break at the Tweed River mouth, only very rarely calm enough to dive; included for geographic completeness.
Details need confirmation
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
Rugged natural reef mixed with scattered remains of an early 1900s steamer wreck; a quieter alternative to Cook Island.
Details need confirmation
Pinnacle/BommieTweed & Byron Bay
A current-swept boulder near the Needles known for dense schools of pelagic fish holding in the current.
Details need confirmation
Cave/CavernTweed & Byron Bay
A small cave overhang on Julian Rocks' southern flank with a large resident black cod, close to Cray Cave and Gorgonian Hollow.
Details need confirmation
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
A deeper, more exposed swim-through trench on Julian Rocks' south-eastern flank, with a good winter chance of grey nurse sharks.
Details need confirmation
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
A quieter connecting stretch of gutters and boulder slope between the Nursery and the Cod Hole, good for building confidence…
Details need confirmation
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
Quieter, less-crowded alternative to Cook Island with ledges and sponge-covered rock and occasional grey nurse sharks.
Details need confirmation
ReefTweed & Byron Bay
A boulder reef beneath one of Australia's best-known surf points, diveable only on the rare flat day.
Details need confirmation
Pinnacle/BommieTweed & Byron Bay
Byron Bay's quiet offshore pinnacle system — good numbers of grey nurse sharks in winter with none of the diver traffic of Julian…
Details need confirmation