Gordons Bay Underwater Trip Start - Sydney & New South Wales
Gordons Bay. We know it. We love it. It’s a Sydney classic for a reason, despite the crowds topside on a sunny weekend. The entry is easy, a gentle stroll in from the beach, which immediately makes it a favourite for an after-work dip or a gear test. Once you’re in, the rocky reef system is dotted with sandy patches and boasts some impressively bold marine life. You’ll often find snapper cruising by, sometimes in surprisingly large schools, and we’ve had some cracking encounters with widebody pipefish tucked into crevices. Keep an eye out for the colourful chocolate parrotfish munching away on the algae-covered rocks. It’s also a great spot for macro, with mantis shrimp often spotted if you slow down and really look. The visibility can be a bit hit or miss, especially after rain, but on a good day, it’s a calm, shallow dive that’s perfect for extending your bottom time. We think it’s best on a weekday morning; you get the place mostly to yourself.
- Location
- Sydney & New South Wales, Australia, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -33.915800, 151.264820
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Bronte-Coogee
Nearby Dive Sites in Sydney & New South Wales
- 3 mile Bommie (cave)
- 3 mile Bommie (reef)
- 3rd Gutter (reef)
- 3rd Gutter
- 4th-5th Reefs - 5-20m (reef)
- 7th and 8th Reefs (reef)
- Acheron Ledge (reef)
- Adelaide (Wreck) (wreck)
- Adelaide (Wreck) (wreck)
- Adreno (diving gear)
- Avoca (drift)
- Avoca
- Bait Reef (reef)
- Balmoral Baths
- Bare Island East (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to Gordons Bay Underwater Trip Start
- Abyss Scuba Diving - ["PADI"]
- Aquatic Explorers
- CENTRAL COAST DIVERS - SSI
- Deep Sensations Pty Ltd
- Dive Centre Bondi - ["PADI"]
- Dive Centre Manly - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Sydney & New South Wales
Home to 202 recorded species including 129 reef fish, 41 sharks & rays, 9 whales & dolphins, 5 other, 4 crabs & lobsters, 3 octopus & squid.
Notable Species
- Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) - Sharks & Rays
- Spotted wobbegong (Orectolobus maculatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Bream (Acanthopagrus australis) - Reef Fish
- Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) - Sharks & Rays
- Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) - Sharks & Rays
- California Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) - Reef Fish
- chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) - Octopus & Squid
- Banjo Shark (Trygonorrhina fasciata) - Sharks & Rays
- blubber jellyfish (Catostylus mosaicus) - Jellyfish
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- Australian Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Snapper (Pagrus auratus) - Reef Fish
- Silver Bream (Rhabdosargus sarba) - Reef Fish
- Bluefin Gurnard (Chelidonichthys kumu) - Reef Fish
- Chubby Basketfish (Anoplocapros inermis) - Reef Fish
- Banks Shovelnose Ray (Aptychotrema rostrata) - Sharks & Rays
- Bellowfish (Macroramphosus scolopax) - Reef Fish
- gray mangrove (Avicennia marina) - Seagrass & Algae
- Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) - Reef Fish
- Common Silver Belly (Gerres subfasciatus) - Reef Fish