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There is a lot more to Sydney than its iconic opera house, harbour bridge and world class beaches. If you’re a tourist, visiting for a long weekend or even lucky enough to live in this scenic part of the world, DO NOT leave without a journey into Sydney’s underwater world.
There’s nothing worse than packing your snorkel, flippers and picnic, driving up the coast and diving in only to find nothing but seaweed and murky waters. With over 500 species roaming the harbour, Sydney is a top snorkelling destination, but you have to know the right spots!
I’ve done all the hard work for you and swallowed my fair share of saltwater so that you don’t waste your precious time in the mediocre places, rather #seastheday and snorkel with porpoise!
Being a Sydney-sider (and part-time mermaid), I snorkel almost every weekend so you can trust my judgement in the following top 8 snorkel spots as I’ve visited ALL of them. So take your pick and dive right into your journey of underwater discovery and I'm sure you will return as either Aquaman or Ariel.
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1. Fairlight Beach
Living a 2 minute walk from here may make me biased in selecting Fairlight beach as my number 1 but that’s because I’ve seen it in all weather conditions: sunny, cloudy, windy, rainy and it looks different every time! You will always see different sea creatures, rock formations and tides on each visit, which is what makes it so interesting.
On a cloudy day, we pretty much submerged into a port Jackson shark; on a sunny and clear day, you can see blue and golden gropers, leather jackets and schools of bright yellow and silver, sparkly fish (you can see I know my fish names…).
Top tips for snorkelling at Fairlight beach
1. I’d suggest jumping in from the hidden set of rocks further to the right along the Manly scenic walkway and swimming all the way around the corner towards Fairlight beach. That way, you’ll find so much more sea life without any others splashing around you.
2. Swim slowly and peer closely at the swaying seaweed because you never know what sea creatures will be winding in, out, around and underneath the seaweed. Plus, many of the fish are camouflaged the same golden-khaki colour as the seaweed, making them even more fun to find!
3. If you head out to the left near the rock pool, there is a drop off zone #notthedropoff! where you’ll find blue gropers and bright pink/red tube-like coral handing off the giant rock. There are heaps of big fish hiding underneath that rock!
4. To the right is an underwater trail where large schools of transparent fish form a swimming queue, just like underwater traffic so if you cross it you'll cause an intersection and disrupt the traffic...it’s heaps of fun! Look out for the schools of bright yellow fish hiding underneath the rock (a giant blue groper also lurks under that rock further around the corner) and bigger fish on top of the rock.
5. In the centre, you’ll find plenty of stingrays. Don’t get too close to them!
6. Watch where you step: There are lots of spiky sea urchins which cause painful stinging if you step on them. They're even quite close to the shore so try to swim while looking at the sea floor until you find a save place to stand up.
7. If your snorkel keeps fogging up, putting detergent on the inside of the mask should do the trick!
8. Watch out for dogs going for a swim! One particularly big and hairy dog gave me a fright while I was filming the stingrays!
2. Shelly beach (Cabbage Tree Bay)
If you’re visiting Sydney, chances are you’ll take a day trip to the famous Manly beach and do the standard Manly to Shelly coastal walk. Why not bring your snorkel and say hi to the big blue groper, aka the king of Shelly beach?
Here, you’ll find plenty of blue gropers on the right hand side, as well as stingrays further out near the big mountain of grey rocks.
On the left, there are plenty of golden gropers and look out for cuttlefish and purple baby eels poking their head out of the gaps in the rock. You may even get lucky and spot an Estuarine catfish, which looks just like the Chinese New Year dragon with the windy body and whiskers.
If you’re feeling up to it, swim from Shelly beach to Manly beach, it’s only a kilometre and groups of pink-capped swimmers do it every morning. Otherwise, half way is Fairy bower pool, which leads me to number 3.
3. Fairy bower rock pool
This is a super popular snorkel spot, especially among backpackers on a sunny weekend day so if you want to avoid the crowds, visit on a week day. Nevertheless, set up base on one of the sunbathing rocks or dump your stuff at the rock pool (another instafamous swimming spot) and dive right in.
This is where we found a Wobbegong sleeping under a rock. A wobbegong is a carpet shark found in shallow areas. Don’t worry, they generally aren’t dangerous but they’re super flexible so can bite your hand if you hold their tail. Just watch from the surface and you will be friends. 😊
The wobbegongs around here have cool patterns on their backs.
Look out for stand up paddle boarders who rent their boards from Fairy Bower cafe. They're often beginners so either can't control the board or won't see you! This is also where we found plenty of silver schools of fish and underwater sunbathing spots like this:
You can snorkel from here to Shelly beach (number 2), if you want to see gropers, stingrays, rainbow flashing cuttlefish and even baby eels.
4. Gordons bay
Protected by an offshore reef, Gordons bay is a perfect spot not just for snorkelling but for sunbathing, picnicking and splashing around in your inflatable unicorn. You could easily spend a full morning here soaking up that sun! Then head over to the nearby Clovelly bay for the afternoon, another top snorkel spot. Or if you're up for some waves, head to the nearby Coogee beach.
Gordons bay is where we found our first Estuarine catfish (Chinese new year dragon) along with squids that we chased so we could see their signature jet propulsion. You will also find all sorts of sea anemones, starfish, jellyfish and gropers.
The great thing about Gordons bay is how open and spacious it is, plus all of the activity! Don’t get in the way of the ocean swimmers doing their training! If you’re a diver, then you’re in for a treat as there is an underwater nature trail!
Although a little but trickier to get to, Gordons bay is a hidden gem, one of Sydney's best kept secrets and a bit of a local hero so definitely worth a visit!
5. Clovelly bay
Clovelly bay is great for beginners as it is protected by a man-made bay surrounded by concrete platforms on both sides for sunbathing and relaxing. The waters are calm and it’s easy to get in and out by the concrete steps.
Even when there are waves, it’s fun being swept up and down with all the blue gropers that inhabit this bay.
The white boulder formation makes it easy to spot darker fish lying on the rocks, having a little sunbathe like all the people above.
Keep an eye out for ‘Bluey’, the most renowned 1.2m long groper who makes mysterious appearances now and then…
6. Little Bay
Little bay, known for its schools of little fish!
Being an extremely popular beach for families, you will be joined by crowds of fellow snorkellers in these crystal clear waters. Little bay is protected by headlands on the north and south ends, hence why so many young families head here for its calm waters.
Rest assured, despite all the people splashing about, this doesn’t scare away all the fish. Here, you will find all sorts of pink coral, spiky sea urchins, sea anemones, tiny yellow fish, red Indian fish, weedy sea dragons and massive schools of sparkly fish.
If you’re feeling adventurous and up for a deep dive discovery challenge, head to the nearby Malabar beach at Long bay and search for the MV Malabar sunken shipwreck!
7. Bare Island
Featured in Mission Impossible II is our number 7…Bare Island!
Located in Sydney’s beautiful La Perouse, the historic Bare Island fort is a heritage-listed islet. Accessed by a 130 year old wooden bridge that connects Bare Island to the mainland (and where teenagers jump off into the water below), this is another super popular diving spot.
If you visit on a weekend, expect to share it with hundreds of divers as this is where you go to find Red Indian fish. Port Jackson sharks are also frequently found here.
Beware of the current that flows underneath the bridge into the open waters, it can get quite strong so bring your flippers!
Fun Fact: Bare Island fort was built to protect Botany Bay from potential invasion by Russia; and it’s where shocking scandals and hidden secrets have taken place…no wonder it’s the location of the blockbuster film, Mission Impossible 2!
8. Kurnell
Located at the famous spot where Captain Cook leapt ashore in 1770, Kurnell holds one of Sydney’s busiest sea life communities and Australia’s largest congregation of weedy sea dragons!
Silver Beach is the most convenient entry point but stay well out of the way of spear fishermen.
Although we came on a murky day, we still saw a bright orange octopus, a moray eel (scary, I know) and plenty of cute puffer fish that followed us around on our snorkel adventure. If you see this much on a bad day, just imagine how many underwater friends you’ll make on a good day!
When you’ve finished snorkelling, explore the sea bed between the beach and the bridge. We found a sea slug that looked just like Roz from Monster’s Inc…'I’m watching you Wazowski…always watching …'
So there’s my top 8 snorkel spots in Sydney if you’re looking to make some underwater friends! To see more of my sea life adventures around Sydney, check out my Instagram page: hbananazzz
Now, go and dive right in! And remember, stay ocean-minded, after all you will sea more that way! :D
