The dive
Clifton Gardens is hugely popular with photographers. Plenty of interesting critters live here, including seahorses, small cuttlefish, pipehorses and unusual fish species. Divers have also reported baby giant cuttlefish, octopus, moray eels, nudibranchs, crabs and schools of trevally.
It’s a great dive by day and at night.
Getting in and out
Clifton Gardens is inside Sydney Harbour, at Mosman.
We sometimes run our guided shore dives here instead of at Shelly Beach. You make your own way to the site, and any gear you’ve hired is brought there for you. You need to be at least an Open Water diver.
Conditions and tips
Conditions here are usually very easy, so you can take your time. Move slowly and keep your fins off the bottom: the animals you’re looking for are small and well hidden.
Typical visibility is 5–10 m.
Dive it with us
Sydney shore dives
Guided shore dives in the Eastern Suburbs, Kurnell and at Shelly Beach, Manly.
See the tripWhere it is
What you might see
Nearby sites
- Shore dive · Cabbage Tree Bay Fairy BowerA shore dive off the ocean-side path between Manly Beach and Shelly Beach, named after the little penguins found here. Big boulders, a long reef and a good chance of sharks.10 m
- Shore dive · Freshwater FreshwaterOne of the best shore dives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with good reef structure and two larger reefs east of the point for more experienced divers.18 m
- Shore dive · Cabbage Tree Bay Shelly BeachA sheltered, west-facing cove inside Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, and one of the easiest shore dives in Sydney to navigate. Follow the rock wall out, and the wall brings you home.14 m
- Boat dive · North Head Blue Fish PointA relaxed dive on the northern side of North Head, and a great place to see weedy seadragons.24 m
