The dive
The gutters are long canyons in the reef running side by side. The sharks cruise along them, so the best views come from the edge, looking in, rather than swimming down the middle. That also keeps you from blocking their path. The parallel gutters look alike, and it is easy to lose your bearings when visibility is poor.
What lives here
Grey nurse sharks are the main residents, and they are seen around Fish Rock for most of the year, with the largest numbers in winter. Wobbegongs, batfish and passing pelagic fish are also common.
Grey nurse shark rules
Fish Rock is declared grey nurse shark critical habitat. The national code of conduct applies: don’t touch, feed, chase or corner the sharks or block gutters, keep groups to ten divers or fewer, no scooters, horns or shark pods, and no night dives. Bait fishing is banned at the rock and spearfishing is restricted. Check the current rules with NSW DPI before you dive.
Where it is
What you might see
- Grey nurse sharks
- Wobbegong sharks
- Batfish
- Pelagic fish
Nearby sites
- Boat dive · Off Smoky Cape, South West Rocks Fish Rock CaveFish Rock is a small island about 2 km off Smoky Cape, near South West Rocks. A cave about 120 metres long runs right through it, one of the largest ocean caves in the southern hemisphere, and grey nurse sharks gather around the rock for most of the year.
- Boat dive · Arakoon, near South West Rocks Green IslandGreen Island is a small island close to the coast, north of the Smoky Cape lighthouse. Its rocky reef is shallower and gentler than Fish Rock, and it is also declared grey nurse shark critical habitat.
