Diving & Travel Guide to New South Wales – Coffs Harbour

About New South Wales – Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour, located on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, is one of Australia's premier temperate-water diving destinations, famous for the Solitary Islands Marine Park and its extraordinary grey nurse shark aggregations that rank among the best shark diving experiences in the world. The Solitary Islands, a chain of small rocky islands located 15-20 kilometers offshore, are the centerpiece of the region's diving, with South Solitary Island offering world-class sites including Manta Arch, The Gantry, Shark Gutters, Buchanans Wall, and The Elbow, each providing encounters with large numbers of grey nurse sharks during the winter months, along with massive schools of kingfish, trevally, and other pelagic species. The marine park also encompasses North Solitary Island, Split Solitary, and North West Solitary, each surrounded by rocky reef systems with outstanding marine biodiversity, from vibrant sponge gardens and kelp forests to dramatic underwater cliffs and gutters. The inshore diving includes Anemone Bay, Muttonbird Island, and various sites accessible from Coffs Harbour's marina, providing options for all skill levels and conditions. The Solitary Islands Marine Park, established in 1998, has been instrumental in protecting the grey nurse shark population and the broader marine ecosystem, with the no-take sanctuary zones allowing fish populations to recover and thrive. The region's warm temperate waters, influenced by the East Australian Current, support a remarkable diversity of tropical and temperate species, making every dive an opportunity to encounter something unexpected, from passing manta rays and sunfish to rare nudibranchs and the iconic leafy sea dragon.

Highlights

• ✓Solitary Islands Marine Park – world-class grey nurse shark diving
• ✓Manta Arch and Shark Gutters with large shark aggregations in winter
• ✓Buchanans Wall – one of Australia's best wall dives with vibrant sponge gardens
• ✓Diverse marine life where tropical and temperate species overlap
• ✓Well-managed marine park with no-take sanctuary zones protecting biodiversity
• ✓Accessible diving from Coffs Harbour with options for all skill levels

Getting There

Coffs Harbour is accessed via Coffs Harbour Airport (CFS), which receives direct flights from Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne via regional carriers, or a scenic drive along the Pacific Highway (approximately 6 hours north of Sydney or 5 hours south of Brisbane). The Coffs Harbour Marina is the main departure point for dive trips to the Solitary Islands, with boat rides of 40-60 minutes to the offshore islands. Several well-established dive operators run daily trips to the Solitary Islands during favorable weather, and the sheltered marina provides year-round access to the inshore diving sites. The Coffs Harbour region is also accessible by train from Sydney and Brisbane via the NSW TrainLink XPT service, and the compact city center means that accommodation, dining, and dive operators are all within easy reach.