Port Macdonnell Mount Gambier Victor Harbour
Kangaroo Island Yorke Peninsula Spencer Gulf Port Lincoln
Eyre Peninsula - Great Australian Bight
Adelaide' scuba divers have access to coastal scuba diving, snorkeling and superb underwater photography along the coast within 30 minutes drive from the city.
There are a number of wrecks endowed with coverings of varied sessile marine life and resident fish populations.
The South Australian Fisheries Department has systematically created artificial reefs off this stretch of coast. For many years, bundles of tyres and old ships have been sunk in depths from 18-30 m.
These artificial reefs have attracted a wide variety of fish and invertebrates, and many scuba divers visit these reefs every weekend.
As many times as one sees a Leafy Sea Dragon Phycodurus eques, the marvel never ceases to amaze. In the close quarters of their kelpy habitat, they can virtually disappear before ones eyes.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
A few rocky reefs occur off Adelaides coastline, however much of the shallow seabed is sandy, and offers little shelter for marine life. To address this problem, the South Australian Fisheries Department has systematically created artificial reefs off this stretch of coast. For over 10 years, bundles of tyres and old ships have been sunk in depths from 18-30 m. These artificial reefs have attracted a wide variety of fish and invertebrates, and many fishermen and divers visit these reefs every weekend.
The capital of South Australia, Adelaide is a well-planned city, with wide streets and numerous parks. Known as the City of Churches, the city is famous for its art festival and the great wines grown in the nearby Barossa Valley.
Many underwater attractions are accessible from the shore or by boat, such as artificial reefs, jetties, rocky reefs and a number of historic shipwrecks. The staff of the several dive shops and charter boats that service the Adelaide district are happy to share their local knowledge.
Rapid Bay Jetty is one of Australias most popular southern dive sites with a wealth of invertebrate species, plenty of fish and, Leafy Sea Dragons to spare.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Rapid Bay Jetty
Many divers head for Rapid Bay (95 km south of Adelaide) each weekend to explore the 500 m-long jetty, known as one of the best pier dives in Australia. A wealth of marine life can be found around the hundreds of pylons. Enter at the shore or walk to the end (a bit of a hike), and climb down the ladder. The fish population is remarkable, considering the number of fishermen trying their luck above.
The commensal zoanthid Epizoanthus sp. is a common commensal inhabitant of sponges. They live in sponges of all colours, but we notice them more when they are in red, or orange sponges because the results are more photographic.
( Photo: Neville Coleman)
Schools of old wives, pike, yellowtail and bullseyes swarm between the pylons. Swimming among the seaweeds on the bottom are leatherjackets, boarfish, morwong, perch, scorpionfish, cowfish, sweep, wrasse, zebrafish, moonlighters, goatfish and southern coralfish. Also found around and on the bottom are cuttlefish, squid, octopi, nudibranchs, sea stars, molluscs and the occasional stargazer or leafy sea dragon. Macro-photographers are advised to take a close look at the pylons, as most are covered with invertebrates. The end of the pier sits in 9 m of water, and schools of kingfish sometimes gather there. Look for fishing lines when diving the jetty it is not uncommon to find lost squid jigs and rods.
Resting in a sponge with its pectoral fins keeping balance, this Banded Morwong Cheilodactylus nigripes makes an excellent subject. These fish are quite common in the waters of South Australia. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
Aldinga Reef Drop-Off
The top of Aldinga Reef is only 6 m deep, but the outer edge drops into 20 m. Although silty in some areas, this 6 km-long reef has masses of colourful sponges, ascidians, gorgonians, soft corals, bryozoans and zoanthids. Cuttlefish, nudibranchs, sea stars, blue devilfish, morwong, perch, boarfish, blue gropers, old wives, wobbegongs, octopi, stingrays and scorpionfish can be found among the boulders or under the ledges. Schools of kingfish, pike and sweep cruise past the edge of the drop-off.
Star of Greece Shipwreck
The 70 m-long Star of Greece sank in 1880, after a wild storm blew her ashore. The remains of this iron ship are now in 8 m of water, approximately 200 m offshore. Numerous twisted plates now shelter a variety of marine species.
A common resident of jetty pylons and rocky reefs all around Australia the Moluccen Ascidian Clavelina moluccensis is easily recognised by the 3 small blue spots between the siphons of each zooid.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Port Noarlunga Reef
An aquatic reserve, Port Noarlunga Reef is one of the most popular dive sites in South Australia. This rocky reef, which runs parallel to the coast for several hundred metres, is exposed at low tide. Access to the reef is via a jetty. After climbing down the ladder at the end, divers can either explore the sheltered inner reef or the more interesting outer side.
The bright red colour of the Ocellate Sea Star Nectria ocellata is in stark contrast to the dark green of its sea grass meadow habitat. This species occurs from southern New South Wales around to south Western Australia.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The inner side of the rocky reef (9 m deep) is a good place to see schools of drummer, old wives, moonlighters, wrasse, zebrafish, scaly-fin, leatherjackets and cuttlefish. The rocky outer reef drops into 20 m, with plenty of gutters and ledges, covered in kelp, sponges, ascidians, soft corals and small gorgonians. Common marine life includes blue devilfish, octopi, nudibranchs, morwong, sea stars, scorpionfish, perch, cowfish, catfish, bullseyes, yellowtail, flatheads, scallops and a variety of leatherjackets.
Noarlunga Tyre Reef
An artificial reef of tyres lies at 20 m, 3 km off Noarlunga. These tyres shelter cuttlefish, octopi, blue devilfish, morwong, wobbegongs, bullseyes, perch and many other species. Tyre reefs have also been constructed off Glenelg and Grange.
Stanvac Barges
Located in 30 m of water off Port Stanvac, two 20 m-long barges and one 50 m-long barge make up another of Adelaides excellent artificial reefs. In and around the barges are stingrays, bullseyes, cuttlefish, blue devilfish, morwong, perch and catfish.
Common all along the southern Australian coast, the Short - tailed Ceratosoma Ceratosoma brevicaudatum feeds on noxious sponges and stores toxic chemicals in the bright coloured bump behind its gills.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Stanvac Dump
A good variety of marine species can be found in a dumping area located off the Port Stanvac Oil Refinery, in 12 m of water. The pipes and the other industrial wreckage that have been disposed of here are now occupied by rock lobsters, blue devilfish, cowfish, perch, nudibranchs, morwong and various other animals.
During the day, Laws Aphelodoris Aphelodoris lawsae hides beneath stones and fallen jetty pylons where it feeds on sponges. Due to it being named after a woman, the species name ends with an "ae".
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Seacliff Reef
Seacliff Reef is only 13 m deep, but its many gutters and ledges make this rocky reef a fascinating dive site. Blue devilfish, nudibranchs, leatherjackets, bullseyes, wrasse, blue gropers and even the elusive leafy sea dragon are found among the sponges and seaweeds.
Glenelg Jetty
An abundance of small creatures can be found on every dive under Glenelg Jetty. Located in very shallow water, the pylons and scattered wreckage under the jetty shelter molluscs, nudibranchs, cuttlefish, octopi, blennies, cowfish, leatherjackets, wrasse and sea stars. Macro-photographers will have a ball, especially at night when the crabs and shrimps venture forth.
Not as common as it once was ( due to over collecting) the Black Cowry Zoila friendii thersites is a protected species during its breeding season. This ruling was brought about by the South Australian Fisheries.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
The Dredge
Sunk in 1985 as an artificial reef, The Dredge is now the most popular boat diving site off Adelaide. The wreck rests upright in 20 m of water and divers can explore the holds, the engine room and the wheelhouse which is usually full of bullseyes. In the short time since it was sunk, The Dredge has become covered in soft corals, sponges, anemones, ascidians and bryozoans. Many reef fish are found around the wreck, including old wives, blue devilfish, morwong, perch, leatherjackets, stingrays, wobbegongs and cuttlefish. Just 80 m south of The Dredge is a hopper barge that can be reached by following a series of markers. This barge is also an interesting dive, but doesnt usually have as many fish around it.
The species of Ornate Boxfish Aracana ornata is sexually dichromatic, with the males ( as seen here) having a different colour pattern to the females. This fish is endemic to southern Australia.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
Norma Shipwreck
After a collision in 1907, the 85 m-long Norma sank in 15 m of water off Semaphore Beach. Although much of the hull has broken up, the mass of plates, masts and other fittings can still be identified. The wreck also attracts large numbers of fish, including yellowtail, bullseyes, perch, boarfish, morwong and goatfish.
Zanoni Shipwreck
Probably the most intact historic shipwreck off South Australia, the 42 m-long Zanoni was only discovered by divers in 1983. The ship capsized during a storm in 1867, and now lies on its port side in 18 m of water. The masts, sternposts, rudder, bow sprit, and many other fittings and artefacts are still recognisable. This is an important historic shipwreck that is currently being surveyed and studied by maritime archaeologists from Adelaide.
Port Macdonnell Mount Gambier Victor Harbour
Kangaroo Island Yorke Peninsula Spencer Gulf Port Lincoln
Eyre Peninsula - Great Australian Bight
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 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 and Marine Mammals, all found in the waters along the coastal reefs, Artificial Reefs and jetties around Adelaide.
( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)
