The dive
Gordon’s Bay has an underwater nature trail, marked by a chain you can follow around the site. The trail is about 600 metres long, and the dive usually takes 30 to 40 minutes. The chain can disappear under the sand in places, so keep an eye on your direction when it does.
The highlight is a small wall known simply as The Wall. It’s the most interesting part of the dive, with plenty of Sydney’s usual reef fish around it. Blue groper, stingrays, wrasse, goatfish and nudibranchs are regular company, and Port Jackson sharks turn up in winter.
Getting in and out
Entry is straight from the car park: follow the path down to the water and walk in. You come out the same way.
Conditions and tips
A reef known as the Bommie protects the bay, so it’s usually calm and the diving is easy. With a maximum depth of 14 metres, it suits newly certified divers and anyone practising navigation. It’s also a good choice for a night dive. Typical visibility is about 10 metres.
Gordon’s Bay is one of the sites for our guided shore dives in Sydney. We choose the site on the day, with the conditions in mind.
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
- Port Jackson sharkA harmless bottom-dweller that returns to Sydney’s reefs every winter.
- RaysFiddler rays, smooth stingrays and eagle rays on the sand around Sydney’s reefs.
- Eastern blue groperThe NSW state fish: big, curious and happy to follow divers around.
- NudibranchsTiny, colourful sea slugs, and Sydney has hundreds of kinds.
Nearby sites
- Shore dive · La Perouse Bare IslandBare Island juts out from the mainland at La Perouse and is reached on foot along a long wooden walkway. Several dives are possible around the island, so it rewards repeat visits.20 m
- Shore dive · Shellharbour Bushrangers BayOne of the South Coast’s most popular shore dives, at Bass Point Reserve near Shellharbour, about 90 minutes south of Sydney. Easy access, sheltered water and grey nurse sharks make the drive worth it.18 m
- Shore dive · Watsons Bay Camp CoveAn easy shore dive from the beach at Watsons Bay, inside Sydney Harbour. A shallow wall with swim-throughs and overhangs makes it a relaxed dive for any certified diver.19 m
