Byron Bay Ballina Coff's Harbour
South West Rocks Port Macquarie Lord Howe Island Norfolk Island
North Haven Forster-Seal Rocks 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 mere 20 minute boat trip, away from the entrance to the Tweed River ( the only access to the local off shore dives) Cook Island, out from Tweed heads is one of the most amazing macro species scuba diving sites for underwater photography and finding sea creatures that I know of in New South Wales.
With superb biodiversity and many unique species being discovered and photographed underwater, the challenge is worth the effort, even though it can be a bit swelly at times I have discovered new records and species every time I have dived there.
However, now that the island has become a marine reserve the numbers of fish have increased ( since the continual spearfishing it had encountered for 50 years has declined) ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Ranging from at least the Gold Coast down to Coffs harbour the Inflated Ascidian Pseudostoma inflatum has only one colour and as such is easy to recognise. I lives around the tops of reefs and rocks where it gets maximum access to the plankton brought by with the currents and washed in by the swells. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Just the mere fact that is a few kilometres from the pounded coast makes it an absolute haven for extraordinary marine life with a number of new species being discovered. The basic reef cover is a mixture of brown algae, stony corals and soft corals on rocky reef and the range of species is amazing.
One of Cook Islands most interesting inhabitants is the unique brown algae named Herbert Algae Tomaculopsis herbertiana. Cook Island is the only location that this algae is commonly found. The small clumps grow to around 80 mm to 100 mm and although they appear green, they belong to a family of brown alga.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
See the local dive shops for more details and dive schedules( which are determined by the weather and size of the local swells). However, even if it is a bit bouncy I can reccomend the fantastic range of macro critters. To me having the chance to get offshore to an island conjures up an entire smorgasboard of new discoveries that one could never experience on the coast. Islands are like outposts, out in the currents where all the best species drop off on their way south.
One of my most exciting discoveries at Cook Island was this beautiful little undescribed nudibranch Coleman's Goniodorella Goniodorella sp. found at 20 metres in the open on reef in winter of 2000, on a very swelly, chilly day.
It is only 7 mm in size. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Spotted Wobbegongs Orectolobus maculatus are very common throughout the entire area of southern Queensland reefs and all down the New South Wales coasts and offshore reefs. They generally have a territory in a cave, or a ledge, or gutter where there there are schooling bulleyes, or other nocturnal fish species. They hole up during the day and appear in a state of sleep. However, do not be fooled, these are magnificent hunters and very aware at all times.
Do not fool around with these sharks as they have needle pointed teeth and are not at all shy to use them. Many instructors showing off to new students have ( to their dismay) been mauled by these seemingly docile sharks. Once they have bitten they just hang on and nothing short of covering both gills ( so they are unable to breathe) will dislodge them. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Restricted in range to southern Queensland and New South Wales reefs the Reaper Cuttlefish Sepia mestus may be seen in a range of colours but always has two black thumb -like spots towards the back. It grows to around 140 mm, feeds mostly on fish and ranges from 5 to 30 metres in depth on or around reefs.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Distrubed across the entire Indo - Pacific the Ocellate Phyllidia Phyllidia ocellata is a common reef - dwelling diurnal species that feeds on a variety of sponges. It grows to around 60 mm and is subject to extreme colour variation. It occurs right down the Great Barrier Reef southwards into southern New South Wales.
( Photo: Neville Coleman)
A fairly rare species by any measure, the Tiger Egg Cowry Primovula tigris has been found at Cook Island on a number of occasions. It lives on the grey, or pink gorgonian Euplexaura sp. and grows to 12 mm. It is one of the few Egg Cowries that have a mantle pattern that does not resemble its host octocoral.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The largest of all the Egg Cowries Ovula ovum can reach a size of 120 mm. The shell itself is pure white on the outside and pink on the inside. It is thought that its mantle appears similar to that of a a toxic tasting opisthobranch.
However, the species may well have adapted on its own as it has an unpleasant white fluid that exudes from the mantle when the mollusc is harassed.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
TWEED HEADS
If the sea is too rough to get out to Cook Island there is almost always an alternative, diving the Tweed River. During the wet season the diving is not so good due to the influx of fresh water coming down the river which often has an influence on the numbers of species to be seen. However, if it is only minor rain, the fresh water ( which may seem muddy ) just floats on the surface and down deeper the salt water may be clear.
Very common all along the Great Barrier Reef and down into central New South Wales the Sunset Wrasse Thalosoma lutescens inhabits inshore and off shore areas. It is especially common at known dive sites as divers are in the habit of breaking up sea urchins to feed them. This practice should be stopped as it interferes with the natural balance of species in the area. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
The river is best dived on the top of an incoming tide especially during periods of drought as the salt water goes further up the river and allows species to build up. Visibility can often be around 10 to 15 metres and one can see lots of estuary - dwelling creatures and ones not seen off the coast.
Coastal Hermit Crabs like Dardanus lagopodes occur around off shore and inshore reefs on sandy or muddy bottom. This species is very versatile in its feeding habits and may be predator, scavenger and even feed off detritus attached to its hairy appandages as well as cleaning plankton from its antennae.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Dive entry is on the Queensland side of the river's retaining walls and it is not difficult to enter or exit via the rock breakwater. Its best to plan one's dive using half a tank on the way out and leave half for the swim back.
At times there are lots of species of Butterflyfish to be seen at the entrance and around the inshore areas of the Tweed River heads and in the river itself. The Vagabond Butterflyfish Chaetodon vagabundus occurs down the coast to at least Sydney Harbour where they are mostly observed as juveniles.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
HASTING'S POINT
Situated between the Gold Coast and Ballina this sleepy little hamlet has one of the best intertidal areas for snorkelling and reef walking. The range of creatures on the reefs is amazing and all sorts of rare species can be seen in the rockpools. As a marine reserve, all marine life is protected, as well it should be.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Both marine teachers and students have a wonderful opportunity to capture significant images on video and digital stills as the reefs have an extremely rich diversity of sea creatures. ( Photo: Neville Coleman)
The Green Sea Anemone Aulactinia verata appears to be far more common intertidally than on the subtidal reefs. It occurs from southern Queensland south to South Australia. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
A resident of intertidal and offshore reefs of northern New South Wales this amazing little sapsucker the Black and Gold Cyerce nigricans feeds mostly on green algae. Its palps move back and forth as it walks.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Byron Bay Ballina Coff's Harbour
South West Rocks Port Macquarie Lord Howe Island Norfolk Island
North Haven Forster-Seal Rocks 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, Mangroves, 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 Tweed Island and Cook Island.
( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)
