Tweed Heads & Cook Island Byron Bay Ballina Coff's Harbour
South West Rocks Port Macquarie Lord Howe Island Norfolk Island
North Haven Port Stephens Newcastle-Swansea
Central Coast - Terrigal Sydney North
Sydney South Wollongong to Kiama Jervis Bay Uladulla
Bateman's Bay Narooma-Montague Island Tathra Merimbula
A dive at Big Seal Rock when the grey nurse sharks are in is an unforgettable experience. Descending the rock wall, you will come upon a wide gutter at 21 m, which has a small cave cutting into the rock face. Usually schools of kingfish, drummer and trevally circle the gutter, while turtles, wobbegongs, stingrays and Port Jackson sharks can be seen resting on the bottom.
Between summer and winter the gutter is often filled with dozens of grey nurse sharks. Sit on the edge of the gutter and watch these large sharks swim in figure-of-eight patterns. Grey nurse sharks are encountered on most of the reefs off Forster/Tuncurry and Seal Rocks at almost any time of the year.
( photo: Nigel Marsh)
Between summer and winter the gutter is often filled with dozens of grey nurse sharks. Sit on the edge of the gutter and watch these large sharks swim in figure-of-eight patterns. Grey nurse sharks are encountered on most of the reefs off Forster/Tuncurry and Seal Rocks at almost any time of the year.
The New South Wales colour variation of the Many - pored Sea Star Fromia polypora is only found on the east coast. A yellow form can be found along the east coast and also off the coast of each State around to Western Australia.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of hidden reefs off the twin towns of Forster/Tuncurry located 300 km north of Sydney. Divers have explored the reefs in the area for 40 years, and in that time have only scratched the surface. Three dive shops are based in the area, which run regular trips to the local reefs and Seal Rocks.
Usually seen beneath ledges and in caves, the Pineapplefish Cleidopus gloriamaris is a nocturnal species which uses the light organs on the sides of the lower jaw to highlight small shrimps that it feeds on. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Taurus Reef
Taurus Reef, located at a depth of 9-15 m, is shallow and rocky. Although only sparsely covered with sponges and kelp, its many gutters and caves have attracted a wealth of marine life, Port Jackson sharks, wobbegongs, moray eels, lionfish, jewfish, kingfish, trevally, pike, reef fish and delicately banded coral shrimp. The best place to observe grey nurse sharks is a large cave on the southern side of the reef.
Inhabitants of ledges and crevices Banded coroal Shrimps Stenopus hispidus are fish cleaners that specialise in cleaning sleeping fish at night. Some will also advertise their presence during the day by standing outside their lair and waving their white feelers. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Snapper Rock
The many walls and gutters around Snapper Rock are barren in areas, but dense sponge gardens can be seen down deeper. Grey nurse sharks, stingrays, cuttlefish, wobbegongs, snapper, blue gropers and many colourful reef fish are common. This is a large reef in depths from 18-24 m, and will take many dives to explore thoroughly.
Adult White Trevally Pseudocaranx dentex can often be seen swimming or feeding alone or in pairs. They feed by taking in large mouthfulls of sand, filtering out the organic content and allowing the rest to pass out through the gills.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Snowflake Reef
This reef is blanketed in sponges, ascidians, gorgonians and white soft corals, hence the name Snowflake Reef. At a depth of about 20 m, the reef becomes a series of gutters, where you can always find nudibranchs, blue devilfish, hawkfish, blue gropers, morwong, leatherjackets and lionfish.
The Splendid Chromodoris Chromodoris splendita may have various sized red blothches on its dorsal surface, but the white body, red rhinophores, red - lined gills and yellow mantle edge allow easy identification. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Latitude Reef
Latitude Reef, one of the best dives in the area, is a long blade of rock which drops into 20 m of water. Its many gutters are filled with blue gropers, wobbegongs, Port Jackson sharks, stingrays, cuttlefish, blind sharks, moray eels and the occasional grey nurse shark. Reef fish and invertebrate species are abundant, as are schools of pelagic fish. A resident loggerhead turtle, called Agro, can be hand fed. He's not always around, but if he is, he won't let you forget it, swimming all over you and hoping for a handout.
Similar to most moray eels, the Green Moray Gymnothorax prasinus is a nocturnal hunter. However, it will also accept food during the day if given the chance. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Pinnacles
Located a few kilometres off the coast, these rocky outcrops (rising from 45-30 m) are covered with beautiful corals and sponges. The pinnacles attract large schools of pelagic fish, including kingfish, yellowtail, sweep, bullseyes, trevally and mackerel. Port Jackson sharks, wobbegongs, stingrays, red morwong and a dozen or so grey nurse sharks can usually be seen on or near the bottom. When diving the Pinnacles, you should expect the unexpected, as bronze whalers, hammerheads, marlin and the occasional mako shark have all been sighted lurking around the rocks.
Spider crabs are the favourite food of the Lucentus Wrasses Pseudolabrus luculentus. This one perhaps, has a second chance by clinging to the nose of its hunter. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Seal Rocks
Along the shoreline near the tiny unspoiled settlement of Seal Rocks lie clean beaches, rocky reefs and a number of small islands. A rough ride over 5 km of dirt road leads to Seal Rocks, located 50 km south of Forster/Tuncurry. Dive Operators run trips from the beach to the excellent sites nearby. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Satara Shipwreck
The SS Satara, a 120 m long cargo steamer which foundered off Seal Rocks in 1910, now rests on its port side in 42 m of water. The stern section sits in an upright position, displaying the enormous prop, as well as portholes, boilers, the engine, propeller shaft, piles of chains and hundreds of plates. The wreck is covered in sponges, ascidians, anemones and black coral trees. Schools of reef and pelagic fish swarm about the wreck, and Port Jackson, grey nurse sharks, wobbegongs and the occasional bronze whaler are often sighted.
A number of other interesting sites are regularly dived off Seal Rocks, including Skeleton Rocks, Little Seal Rock, Edith Breakers and the 93 m long wreck of the Catterthun, in 60 m of water.
Tweed Heads & Cook Island Byron Bay Ballina Coff's Harbour
South West Rocks Port Macquarie Lord Howe Island Norfolk Island
North Haven Port Stephens Newcastle-Swansea
Central Coast - Terrigal Sydney North
Sydney South Wollongong to Kiama Jervis Bay Uladulla
Bateman's Bay Narooma-Montague Island Tathra Merimbula
Neville Coleman's diving expeditions, fauna surveys, photographic fauna surveys and marine life identification courses include every major group of marine life.
Neville Coleman's expertise in living taxonomy and marine life identification extends to the identification of Algae, Sea Grass, Forams, Sponges, Stony Corals, Soft Corals, Sea Anemones, Sea Jellies, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Black Corals, Flatworms, Segmented Worms, Crustaceans, Barnacles, Shrimps, Rock Lobsters, Hermit Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Molluscs, Chitons, Univalves, Bivalves, Cephalopods, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Squid, Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs, Bryozoans, Sea Mosses, Echinoderms, Sea Stars, Feather Stars, Brittle Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Ascidians/Sea Squirts, Marine Fish, Sharks, Marine Reptiles, and Marine Mammals, all found in the waters around Foster and Seal Rocks.
( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)
