Harbour shore dive from Quarantine Beach at the old Quarantine Station, North Head, over a fringing reef to about 16 m inside North Harbour Aquatic Reserve.
Visibility at Quarantine Beach
Visibility at Quarantine Beach typically ranges from 10 to 30 metres, though it shifts with swell, wind and recent rainfall. Sheltered harbour water; Sydney Dive Charters rates the reserve great in all seasons generally offers the best conditions for diving here.
Air, gear and guides near Quarantine Beach
Browse dive shops in Sydney for fills, hire gear, servicing and guided dives at this site.
Region: Manly, NSW
Skill Level: Intermediate
Depth: 5-16m
Water Temperature: 15.7-19.7°C
Visibility: No beach-specific figure; Sydney Dive Charters gives over 10m to 30m for its North Harbour Aquatic Reserve dives
Best Time to Dive: Sheltered harbour water; Sydney Dive Charters rates the reserve great in all seasons
Marine Life: Wobbegong sharks, octopus, numb rays, reaper and giant cuttlefish, fan-bellied leatherjackets, nudibranchs, dusky flathead, firefish, lionfish, seahorses, old wives; grey nurse sharks with luck
Hazards: Unpatrolled beach; SMB required on Dive Centre Manly dives; little penguin Declared Area A (no anchoring or motorised vessels 1 Jul to 28 Feb)
Facilities: Q Station Wharf Cafe and Boilerhouse bar beside the beach; snorkel hire at the Visitor Experience Centre; parking at North Head with a gear shuttle on Dive Centre Manly dives