The dive
From the entry, snorkel out over the kelp to the north-east, towards the red navigation marker in the bay. Descend when you’re ready; large rays are sometimes seen over the kelp. You’ll be in about 4 metres of water, so follow your compass until you reach a drop-off.
The main part of the dive is over the wall. Swim with the wall on your right. If the visibility is poor, the top of the wall makes a good dive too.
Kurnell has some of the most interesting and varied marine life in Sydney. Take a torch. The overhangs can hide anything from large cuttlefish to blue devils, wobbegongs and the odd banded coral shrimp.
Getting in and out
You enter and exit at the same spot: a small channel between the rocks, right in front of the flagpole. You can sit on the rocks to put your fins on, and there are no waves here in all but the worst conditions. The longer surface swim is the hardest part of the dive.
Conditions and tips
Because it’s inside the bay, the visibility can be lower than at the other Kurnell sites.
On an outgoing tide the Monument is often done as a drift dive, around Sutherland Point or even The Steps, depending on your air.
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
- Wobbegong sharkA carpet shark so well camouflaged that divers swim right past it.
- RaysFiddler rays, smooth stingrays and eagle rays on the sand around Sydney’s reefs.
- Eastern blue devilA shy, brilliantly coloured fish that lives in caves and under ledges.
- Giant cuttlefishThe world’s largest cuttlefish, and a master of colour change.
Nearby sites
- Shore dive · Kurnell The LeapA drift dive inside the national park at Kurnell, from a rock shelf at the foot of a narrow track. You drop to around 22 metres among bommies, then drift to exit at The Steps.22 m
- Shore dive · Kurnell The StepsThe standout dive site at Kurnell, in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, and one of the most reliable places to find weedy sea dragons. A long, steep staircase down the cliff is the price of entry.14 m
- 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
