Dive in Shellharbour

Diving in Shellharbour

Bushrangers Bay located at the end of Bass Point, 5km from the township of Shellharbour is and Aquatic Reserve protecting all forms of life within the bay.

An excellent sheltered dive site, Bushrangers Bay runs East West and has two distinct sections:

The Inner Bay has a maximum depth of about 5 to 6 metres. The intertidal rock pools are home for many invertebrates. Kelp and brown seaweed abound with many varieties of small critters to be found.

The outer bay extends down to the seabed at 18 m depth. Fish are abundant, including both common temperate and seasonal tropical visitors. A large wall of rocks can be passed over leading you to the walls outside the bay.

Travel to Shellharbour

The perfect place with plenty of things to do, or plenty of space to do nothing at all!  This charming town is full of beautiful beaches, nature and a trendy restaurant and café scene.  Stay a while and unwind in Shellharbour.

Although it’s only an hour’s drive south of the huge city of Sydney, you’ll be surprised at how much it feels like worlds away from civilisation.  You can also drive from Canberra which will take you just under 3 hours.  There are frequent trains from Sydney and buses from Canberra and Melbourne too.  The closest airport is Illawarra Regional Airport , 25 minutes north of Shellharbour.

You’ll find a good few caravan parks and cheap motels around the town and most of them are close to the water.  You can get a double room in a resort with all the trimmings for about $120.  Camping is available at the beachside tourist park but a powered site is $44 a night in the peak season, $49 if you want beachfront.

Shellharbour is popular for its surf breaks so it’s a great place to hire a board or take your first lesson.  Kayak Lake Illawara or visit the many natural wonders close to the town and there are lookouts, national parks, villages and lovely places to stop everywhere you look.  Visit one of the museums or just chill out on the beach and enjoy the view. 

Hang out in one of the lovely cafés and restaurants in town or try one of the local beers or wine while chilling in an outdoor beer garden.  There are some great fresh seafood dishes to tantalise your tastebuds.

There’s some great diving and snorkelling in the area.  The Bushranger’s Bay site is in the Marine Aquatic Reserve and has a lovely sponge garden and some cool stuff to see.  The Gravel Loader has a diverse amount of sea life such as octopi, the blue groper, puffer fish and sea dragons.  Advanced divers can enjoy the sites Kiama Blowhole and The Arch.

So head on down to Shellharbour for a few days, to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. 

(By Kelly Luckman)