Shark and cave diving at Fish Rock, with national parks on your doorstep
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Overview
South West Rocks is the Mid North Coast gateway to Australia's most famous shark and cave dive sites. Just offshore, Fish Rock Cave delivers an ocean cave swim-through with clear water, schooling bullseyes, and regular encounters with protected grey nurse sharks. Most charters run as double dives that also hit nearby reefs like Shark Gutters when conditions line up.
On land, the town sits between Arakoon and Hat Head national parks, so you can pair boat dives with lighthouse lookouts, wildflower walks, and whale spotting in winter. Expect a mix of warm current-driven days and cooler-season visibility spikes, plus a strong local dive culture built around Fish Rock Dive Centre and South West Rocks Dive Centre.
South West Rocks sits on the NSW Mid North Coast, roughly midway between Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. The town faces north into Trial Bay, which helps create calmer swimming conditions than many open-coast beaches. Most divers come for the offshore rock outcrops at Fish Rock, a short boat ride from the river.
Book boat diving early for weekends and school holidays, keep a flexible schedule for weather, and plan your shark-focused dives for May through December if possible.
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Last updated: January 23, 2026 • 16 sources
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Trip callouts
Fish Rock Cave is a rare true ocean cave experience with clear water and multiple routes.
Fish Rock is a renowned aggregation area for protected grey nurse sharks, especially in the cooler season.
Arakoon and Hat Head national parks add lighthouse walks, wildflowers, and winter whale watching to any dive weekend.
Well positioned for fly-drive weekends via Port Macquarie or Coffs Harbour airports, or a road trip on the Pacific Highway.
scuba
Why South West Rocks for Scuba Diving
South West Rocks is a boat-diving destination built around Fish Rock, a dramatic offshore pinnacle system famous for protected grey nurse sharks and the swim-through at Fish Rock Cave. Local operators like Fish Rock Dive Centre and South West Rocks Dive Centre typically run double dives, pairing the cave with shark gutters, reefs, and walls around the island. Expect a mix of big-animal encounters, wide-angle scenery, and the kind of adventurous overhead environment that rewards calm buoyancy and good team habits.
freedive
Why South West Rocks for Freediving
Freedivers come to South West Rocks for the same reason scuba divers do: the dramatic structure of Fish Rock and the marine life it attracts. On the right day, outer reefs and the Fish Rock Pinnacle give you clean water, depth close to structure, and the chance of shark and turtle encounters from the surface. For technique days, sheltered swims in Horseshoe Bay Reef or Back Creek keep things comfortable when offshore swell is up.
snorkel
Why South West Rocks for Snorkeling
South West Rocks has a rare combo for the NSW coast: a north-facing bay for calmer swims and rocky edges that can hold fish life on the right day. For easy entries, start with Horseshoe Bay Reef or the calmer stretches around Back Creek. Stronger swimmers can explore headland edges at Front Beach Rocks when swell is low. Think "conditions-first" snorkeling: pick light wind days, watch for rips, and skip exposed rock pools in heavy seas.
topside
What to do when you're not in the water
South West Rocks is an easy, outdoorsy base even if you never put on a wetsuit. Explore the historic ruins at Trial Bay Gaol, walk to Smoky Cape Lighthouse for sweeping coastal views, and use Arakoon and Hat Head national parks for short coastal hikes, beaches, and winter whale spotting. The town itself stays laid-back, with beach cafes, fishing spots, and calm bays that work well for families.
