Ricketts Point - Victoria
The Sunken Forest, a shallow site off KwaZulu-Natal, isn't your typical coral reef. Dropping to a maximum of 9m, it’s more of a geological oddity, a jumble of ancient trees and rocks submerged long ago. Visibility here averages around 5m, so we’re talking about a close-quarters inspection rather than sweeping vistas. We’ve spotted plenty of common carp and the occasional smallmouth and largemouth yellows flitting between the gnarled branches. It's a quiet, introspective dive, a good pick for photographers who enjoy unique, silty environments and divers who appreciate the unusual.
- Location
- Victoria, Australia, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -37.992200, 145.029200
- Type
- wreck
Marine Protected Area: Ricketts Point
Nearby Dive Sites in Victoria
- Anderson Reef (reef)
- Annabella Reef (reef)
- Antares Rock
- Bella Vista Reef (reef)
- Big Reef (reef)
- Bird Rock
- Black Reef (reef)
- Blairgowrie Pier (wall)
- Boarfish Reef (reef)
- Captain Nitros' Drop-off (reef)
- Castle Rock (reef)
- Cat Reef (reef)
- Cottage By The Sea (wall)
- Crawfish Rock
- Delta Reef (reef)
Marine Life in Victoria
Home to 139 recorded species including 64 reef fish, 26 sharks & rays, 17 whales & dolphins, 7 seagrass & algae, 7 other, 3 starfish.
Notable Species
- Snapper (Pagrus auratus) - Reef Fish
- Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) - Seagrass & Algae
- sea rimu (Caulerpa brownii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Sea Nymph (Amphibolis antarctica) - Seagrass & Algae
- Rig (Galeorhinus galeus) - Sharks & Rays
- Kelpie (Notolabrus tetricus) - Reef Fish
- Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Rock Perch (Parma victoriae) - Reef Fish
- Sea potato (Echinocardium cordatum) - Sea Urchins
- Patrician wrasse (Pictilabrus laticlavius) - Reef Fish
- Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps australis) - Reef Fish
- Dixons Stingaree (Urolophus paucimaculatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Ground Mullet (Neoodax balteatus) - Reef Fish
- Inanga (Galaxias maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Horse-shoe Leatherjacket (Meuschenia hippocrepis) - Reef Fish
- thorny worm (Glycera americana) - Worms
- Kelpie (Notolabrus fucicola) - Reef Fish
- Freycinet's Leatherjacket (Meuschenia freycineti) - Reef Fish
- Eastern Shovelnose Stingaree (Trygonoptera imitata) - Sharks & Rays
- Tasmanian Blenny (Parablennius tasmanianus) - Reef Fish