Australia’s 50 Great Dives index

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LONG REEF

North Sydney, New South Wales

Type of dive:

Reef

Snorkelling:

Yes, lots to explore just off the shore!

Scuba:

Open Water (Advanced recommended)

Access:

Boat only (45 minutes)

Depth:

12 – 21 metres (40-70’)

Visibility:

10 – 25 metres (50-80’)

Water temperature:

17 – 23°C (63-73°F)

Seasonal:

No, can visit anytime

Arguably Sydney’s best dive, certainly the fishiest!

The oldest aquatic reserve in New South Wales, Long Reef Aquatic Reserve, is on a headland just north of Sydney between the suburbs of Dee Why and Collaroy.

The primary purpose of the Long Reef Aquatic Reserve is to protect the intertidal zone. It is also an important site for migratory seabirds.

Long Reef Point has the oldest exposed sediments on the coastline and is mainly composed of chocolate shale which extends underwater creating fantastic submarine terrain, just a short distance out from the edge of the intertidal reef.

Underwater, the reef edge forms Long Reef Wall which is about 200 metres (650’) long running in a roughly south to north direction. The wall drops from eight metres (25’) at the top to sand and boulders in around 21 metres (70’).

Along the wall there are spectacular rock formations which create fantastic dive sites teeming with fish. Sometimes, the cave entrances can be nearly blacked out by thousands of fish, giving the appearance of a night dive.

One of the most incredible underwater structures is known as ‘The Cathedral’ which is created by two large slabs of rock forming a church-like roof structure. Inside the Cathedral, a large rock forms an altar-shape and the opening is filled with fish, giving the appearance of a stained-glass window.

Another spectacular section of the wall, running from the middle of the reef to the northeast, is known as ‘The Apartments’. So named, because the underwater scene resembles a block of flats lying on their side.

The Apartments consists of incredible swim-throughs, overhangs, caves, boulder stacks and bommies where just about every space is teeming with fish.

The incredible density of resident fish varies from solitary eastern blue devils to huge schools of eastern pomfret, also called ladder-finned pomfret, yellowtail and bullseyes.

Divers will also encounter moray eels, blue groper, red morwong, black cod, and Port Jackson and wobbegong sharks.

Large bull rays, grey nurse sharks, yellowtail kingfish and giant cuttlefish are also quite common visitors to Long Reel.

Special thanks to the Frog Dive Team.
Copyright © 2024 Steve Sinclair

OTHER GREAT DIVES WHILE IN THE AREA
Magic Point, Blue Fish Point, Harbord Headland, The Dukenfield, Shelly Beach and Fairlight.

2026 GREAT AUSTRALIAN DIVE CHALLENGE
Dive Registration
To register this dive for validation, go to: www.50greatdives.com.
NOTE: Entrants should do this dive with one of the following preferred dive services.