South West Rocks – Fish Rock Cave & Grey Nurse Shark Dive (Adventure Diving)

from $260 AUD

About your Fish Rock Cave and Grey Nurse Sharks Dive

About your Fish Rock Cave and Grey Nurse Sharks Dive

Fish Rock Cave, arguably Australia’s premier shark and cave dive, boasts a spot among the world’s top 50 dive sites and stands as the sole authentic ocean cave dive destination in the country. Situated just 2km off the coast in the township of South West Rocks, this remarkable 125m cave, or swim-through, spans from one end of Fish Rock to the other.

The Dive

The entrance near the surface lies a mere 12m down, while the deeper entry point plunges to 24m beneath the water’s surface. Apart from the cave’s allure, a standout feature of this dive location is the thriving population of grey nurse sharks that call it home year-round. During the summer months, these grey nurse sharks frequently find repose in the shallow cave entrance, adorned by vibrant pink gorgonian corals that offer a splendid backdrop for stunning photos.

Fish Rock

Encircling Fish Rock Island, the water depth varies between 15 and 30 meters, with deep gutters serving as natural gathering spots for sharks and numerous other marine creatures that reside here. This dive adventure caters to individuals of all scuba diving proficiency levels. Certified divers have the option to book day tours, featuring two dives, or opt for extended multiple-day tours, complete with accommodation.

Highlights

  • Fish Rock Cave
  • Grey Nurse Sharks
  • Professional dive crew
  • Certified divers get 2 dives per day trip

Diving Details 

Fish Rock Island attracts a rich array of marine life, including Manta Rays, Eagle Rays, Turtles, a diverse range of pelagic fish, and occasionally, substantial schools of Hammer Head Sharks.

This dive site holds a prominent place in the critical habitat protection program of NSW, acknowledged, published, and safeguarded for its exceptional value. Undoubtedly, it ranks among Australia’s ‘best’ and ‘must-visit’ dive destinations.

Encountering these endangered grey nurse sharks up close is entirely feasible as they gracefully patrol the sandy channel at the cave’s entrance. The longer you remain still, the closer they approach. Within the cave, a labyrinth of horizontal and vertical twists reveals pockets teeming with unique and varied marine life.

From my firsthand experience, a single day may prove insufficient to fully savour the beauty of these elegant sharks and the cave itself. Therefore, I highly recommend if you can dedicating two days, four dives at this dive site.

Your day will encompass double dives thoughtfully selected to match the divers’ experience levels and daily conditions. Both Fish Rock Cave and the Grey Nurse Sharks hold top priority, drawing divers from afar. Fish Rock Cave accommodates divers of all skill levels, with our proficient Dive Masters and Instructors guiding each dive.

Accommodation

There is share or private accommodation available. Share consists of bunk/dorm style 2 x 6 bed dorms, large self-contained kitchen, living area with TV & air-conditioning. Private is a fully self-contained house featuring 4 bedrooms (2 rooms have queen beds, 1 large room has 1 queen and 1 single bed, the other room 2 single beds) 2 x lounge room and kitchen/dining. The accommodation is a relaxing walk to restaurants, pubs and the beach; the dive shop is located downstairs.


Inclusions

  • Transfers to and from the dive site
  • Free Nitrox
  • Large capacity tanks for longer dives
  • Dive guide services
  • Tanks, Weights & Dive light
  • Refreshments between dives
  • Continental Breakfast (Accommodation guests only)

Extra's

  • Full Gear Hire – ($70 per day)
  • Snorkelers Only – Introductory Scuba Dive available (Contact us for prices)
  • Bus/Train Transfer – Kempsey (Ask at time of booking)

Pricing Tables

Dive Tour Pricing 2024
Option Cost
Morning Double Dive Trip (Tanks & Weights) Only $260.00
Full Gear Hire $70.00
SDI Nitrox Certification $195.00
Prices are all (per person) Valid - 31st December 2024
Dive Centre Accommodation - Prices 2024
Option Cost
Private Rooms (per night - 1 person) $80.00
Private Rooms (per night - 2 person - Twin Share) $60.00
Divers Lodge (Single Bunks) $40.00
Private accommodation is a fully self contained house featuring 4 bedrooms, lounge room, kitchen/dining room, and 2 bathrooms. Divers Lodge - Dorm Share accommodation - All prices are per person

Full Itinerary

South West Rocks Dive centre is located on the main street of South West Rocks (98 Gregory St) next door to the United petrol station. You will need to be at the dive centre to start gearing up by 7:30am for an 8:00am departure. All dives are double dives unless other arrangements are made at the time of booking.

Note: Pick-ups can be organised from the town of Kempsey – $20.00 per person. The dive centre provide a pick-up service and will pick you up at Kempsey and transport you back to South West Rocks (25mins drive).

Customers travelling via bus or train and require a pick up service, please contact us for pick up times.

Morning Dive

Depart – 8.00am (Approximately)
Dives finish – 1.00pm – 1.30pm (Approximately)
Return to dive centre mid afternoon
Afternoon Dive

Depart – 10.30am – 11.30am (Approximately)
Dives finish – 4.30pm – 5.00pm (Approximately)
Return to dive centre late afternoon
Note: Above itinerary is repeated for multiple days booked


FAQ

Please call the dive shop 48 hours before commencement of tour to confirm the weather forecast is suitable. If you're booking less then 48 hours prior to commencement of tour you must call the shop before booking to confirm availability and the weather forecast is suitable. Failure to do so may mean we cannot accommodate you when you arrive even if you have made an online booking.
Tours may be cancelled by South West Rocks Dive at anytime due to weather conditions, if so participants are able to transfer their booking to another date or receive a refund for unused services. Cancellations made by participants for any reason; - More then 7 days prior to commencement of tour can transfer their deposit to another booking or receive a voucher for the deposited amount that can be used for a future booking (Valid for 3 years). Or receive a refund back to their credit card less a $20 cancellation fee. - Less then 7 days prior to the commencement of tour incur a 20% cancellation fee of the total booking amount. - Less then 2 days prior to the commencement of tour incur a 100% cancellation fee of the total booking amount and will be charged to the supplied credit card. If any participant does not show up, the full booking amount will be charged to the supplied credit card. This includes group bookings where one or more participants are unable to attend.
South West Rocks Dive Centre reserves the right to change our product/service's prices at any time without further notice. If you have secured your booking with a deposit or full payment, they guarantee that price for three months from when the booking was made. However if the booking is altered in any way the new price is automatically applied.
In the event that the operator is unable to operate due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time of your booking, you will receive a voucher for any deposit paid that that can be used anytime in the future.
A large range of Oceanic hire regulators consist of FDX 10 and SP5 first stages and bullet proof Alpha 8 second stages. All Regulators have Nitrox capable computers in the console to ensure the safest experience possible. Oceanic Oceanpro BCD’s which are all equipped with their own safety signalling tube, whistle and are supplied with a weight belt. Available for hire - Oceanic Rebel 5mm and 7mm wetsuits and have a large range of vests, hoods and gloves if divers are prone to being cold. Torches are needed to dive the cave, each of the boats are equipped with super bright (1200 Lumen) Oceanpro Sub-Sabre R2 LED dive lights for each diver. A range of masks, snorkels, fins and boots

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