Hat Head Bommie

Hat Head Bommie

By ScubaDownUnder Team · 2026-04-30

# Hat Head Bommie

Hat Head Bommie is an isolated reef outcrop off the NSW mid-north coast, sitting between Port Macquarie to the south and South West Rocks to the north. It does not have the international profile of [Fish Rock Cave](https://www.scubadownunder.com/dive-sites/fish-rock-cave) further up the coast, but it shares the same productive water along the East Australian Current and offers a quieter alternative to divers who want the same fish life without the boat queue. The site is a single rocky structure rising from sand, ringed with ledges and overhangs, and works as a natural ambush point for pelagic schools moving along the coast.

## Quick stats

| Detail | Info | |---|---| | Region | Hat Head, NSW | | Skill Level | Intermediate | | Depth Range | 8-16 m | | Typical Visibility | 10-14 m | | Water Temperature | 18-24 degrees C | | Best Season | Spring and summer | | Access | Boat from Hat Head or South West Rocks |

## The setting

Hat Head sits within Hat Head National Park, a stretch of coastal headlands, dunes, and beaches that runs between Crescent Head and South West Rocks. The village of Hat Head is small and the dive infrastructure is limited, so most divers visiting the bommie do so as part of a South West Rocks trip, where the established dive operators include the bommie on their site rotation when conditions suit.

The bommie itself is offshore from the headland, in open water, and is exposed to ocean swell from the south and east. The surrounding seafloor is sand, which means the structure stands out as a marine-life concentration point in an otherwise featureless area.

## The dive

The bommie is a cluster of granite rising from the sand floor at sixteen metres up to within eight of the surface. The dive is built around circling the structure once or twice, dropping into the ledges where they cut deep enough to shelter resting fish, and watching the open water on the seaward side for whatever happens to be passing.

Most dives start on the deeper sand edge, work the bommie face on the lee side of the current, and finish back near the top for the safety stop. With the depth range and the shape of the structure, there is no real risk of getting lost, and the dive lends itself to slow, observational diving rather than route-following.

The site's compact footprint makes it well suited to two-tank trips. Operators will often dive the bommie from one side on the morning dive and the opposite side after the surface interval, when the current has changed and the marine life has moved with it.

## Marine life

Resident species include moray eels in the deeper crevices, large cod tucked under the ledges, and turtles cruising both reef and open water. Wobbegong sharks are not uncommon in the shallower overhangs, and the broken structure shelters the usual NSW reef-fish mix of bream, snapper, sweetlip, and wrasse.

The site sits along the East Australian Current, so kingfish, mackerel, and bonito show up in season. The bommie acts as a natural ambush point that draws fish in from the surrounding water, and on a good day the open side will hold pelagic schools tight against the rock.

In summer, with the warm current well in, the species mix shifts toward subtropical visitors. Larger turtles, including the occasional loggerhead, become more frequent. In winter, when the water cools and visibility improves, the resident species are the main draw.

## Conditions and safety

Hat Head is fully exposed to ocean swell, and surge through the shallower sections of the bommie can be strong even on calm days. The intermediate rating reflects the combination of swell exposure, current, and the need to manage buoyancy in moving water. Divers should be comfortable holding position in surge without contacting the reef or losing control of depth.

Visibility runs ten to fourteen metres on most days, occasionally cleaner when the warm current is well in. The site is not divable in heavy swell, so checking conditions on the morning of the dive is sensible. Most operators will substitute a more sheltered site if the swell forecast turns.

A surface marker buoy is essential for the ascent, given the open-water nature of the site and the boat traffic that uses the same waters during fishing season.

## Getting there and facilities

Access is by boat. Hat Head has a small boat ramp suitable for trailer launches, and a few operators run informal charters from there. The more common approach is to book through one of the South West Rocks dive operators, who include the bommie in their site rotation when conditions allow.

There are no facilities at the dive site. South West Rocks has full dive support, including air fills, gear rental, accommodation, and the established operators that have run the area for decades. Hat Head village itself has limited services, so plan accommodation and provisions accordingly.

## Gear and photography notes

A surface marker buoy is essential. The site's offshore location and the boat traffic that uses the same waters during fishing season make a delayed-deploy SMB on ascent the standard approach. A torch is worth having for working under the deeper ledges, where moray eels and the larger resident cod tuck into the structure. Visibility in the ten to fourteen metre range means a torch helps even in mid-water.

Photography here favours a flexible setup. Wide-angle works for the bommie silhouette and for the pelagic schools when they hold against the structure. Macro and mid-range work for the resident species in the ledges, particularly the morays and the smaller reef fish that use the overhangs for shelter. With surge a regular feature of the site, locking in tight macro shots takes patience and a good sense of timing.

For divers shooting in surge, the standard advice applies: ride the surge rather than fight it, hold position with one hand on a deliberate hold point that will not damage the reef, and time the shot to the still moment between pulses. Buoyancy control is the difference between getting the shot and bouncing off the ledge.

## Combining with nearby sites

Hat Head Bommie pairs naturally with the South West Rocks dive program, which most divers visiting the area will join in any case. Fish Rock Cave is the headline attraction at South West Rocks and rightly so, but the local site rotation also includes the Green Island sites, the Lighthouse Reef, and [Little Bay](https://www.scubadownunder.com/dive-sites/little-bay) Headland, all of which work well as second-tank options after a morning at the bommie or at Fish Rock.

For divers building a longer trip on the mid-north coast, the bommie can be combined with Port Macquarie sites to the south or Coffs Harbour and the Solitary Islands to the north. Each cluster has its own character: South West Rocks for the cave and pelagics, Port Macquarie for shore-accessible reef and seadragons, the Solitary Islands for the protected marine park diving. A week on the coast can comfortably take in all three with Hat Head Bommie as a quieter counterpoint to the busier headline sites.

## Final notes

Hat Head Bommie does not have the fame of Fish Rock Cave a few kilometres up the coast, but for divers who are already in the area or looking for a less-trafficked alternative, it is a solid intermediate dive with a reasonable expectation of pelagic action when the conditions line up. The compact structure suits divers who prefer to take their time and observe, rather than racing to cover ground. Worth combining with one of the South West Rocks sites for a full day on the water, with the bommie as a quieter counterpoint to the busier headline dives.