Fishery Bay Reef

Fishery Bay Reef Dive Site Guide | Eyre Peninsula, SA, Australia

By ScubaDownUnder Team · 2026-04-25

# Fishery Bay Reef

A protected reef system in a small bay on the lower Eyre Peninsula with clear water, sea dragons, and the Southern Ocean-influenced marine community of the peninsula's more exposed southern coast.

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## Quick stats

| Detail | Info | |---|---| | Location | Eyre Peninsula, SA | | Skill Level | Intermediate | | Depth Range | 5–20 m | | Typical Visibility | 8–25 m | | Water Temperature | 14–21 degrees C | | Best Season | April–October | | Entry Type | Shore & Boat | | Hazards | Shore entry across reef rock; Southern Ocean swell exposure; Blue-ringed octopus in reef zone | | Facilities | Limited parking at the Fishery Bay access point; No formal facilities at the site, nearest services in Port Lincoln |

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Fishery Bay is a small, sheltered indentation on the southern Eyre Peninsula coast where the topography provides just enough protection from the prevailing Southern Ocean swell to make shore diving consistently accessible. The reef inside the bay benefits from the clear water that the peninsula's southern position produces, visibility here is noticeably better than the gulf sites to the north and east, and the sea dragon population in the kelp and seagrass reflects the undisturbed, productive character of a site that does not attract heavy diver traffic.

The bay sits on the southern shore of the Eyre Peninsula within or adjacent to the Lincoln National Park boundary, and access reflects that setting, it requires some navigational knowledge of the coastal tracks to reach, and there are no formal dive facilities. What the site offers in exchange is a reef system in good health, clear water, and the combination of leafy and weedy sea dragons in the kelp zone that makes this section of the Eyre Peninsula coast one of the most reliable in South Australia for both species.

The reef descends from the rocky shore in 5–8 metres of water at the top of the slope to 18–20 metres at the base, with a kelp-dominated upper section and more open sponge-encrusted rock in the deeper areas. The transition zone between the kelp forest and the open reef is where most of the interesting marine life concentrates, sea dragons at the kelp margins, Port Jackson sharks in the deeper gutters and crevices, and cuttlefish working the boundary between the structure and the sand.

Visibility in the bay on a settled day can reach 20–25 metres, driven by the clear Southern Ocean water that washes the peninsula's exposed southern coast. In any swell, the entry across the reef rock becomes difficult and the visibility in the shallows drops as wave action stirs the bottom.

## Site Access and Logistics

Fishery Bay is on the southern Eyre Peninsula, accessible from Port Lincoln via Lincoln National Park or coastal tracks, local operator knowledge is valuable for first-time visitors. Park entry fees apply within Lincoln National Park. Open Water certification appropriate; rocky shore entry experience recommended. A 5mm wetsuit minimum; 7mm in winter. Plan tank fills from Port Lincoln.

## Sources

- Calypso Star Charters, [https://www.calypsostar.com.au](https://www.calypsostar.com.au) - Department for Environment and Water SA, Lincoln National Park - Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving, Eyre Peninsula southern coast profiles - Atlas of Living Australia, Leafy sea dragon (*Phycodurus eques*) distribution