Diving Guide to Hauraki Gulf & Coromandel

About Hauraki Gulf & Coromandel

The Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel Peninsula offer some of the most accessible and diverse diving in New Zealand, with marine reserves, offshore islands, wrecks, and kelp forests all within easy reach of Auckland. The gulf contains several marine reserves including the famous Goat Island Marine Reserve at Leigh, where dense kelp forests shelter huge snapper, blue maomao, and stingrays in calm protected waters. The offshore islands of Little Barrier, Great Barrier, and the Alderman Islands provide world-class diving with massive kingfish schools, bronze whaler sharks, and pristine reef systems far from urban influence. The Coromandel Peninsula adds Cathedral Cove and Te Whanganui-A-Hei marine reserves with spectacular underwater caves and swim-throughs. The Noises off Kawau Island offer sheltered training reefs, while Slipper Island delivers volcanic reefs with large stingrays and eagle rays. Multiple wrecks including the SS Wairarapa and HMNZS Tui provide historical interest at various depths. The proximity to Auckland makes this region the most logistically convenient diving area in New Zealand, with numerous operators offering day trips and weekend expeditions.

Highlights

• ✓Goat Island Marine Reserve: dense kelp forest with huge snapper, blue maomao, moray eels, and excellent training conditions
• ✓Little Barrier Island: steep walls with prolific fish life, coral gardens, and seasonal bronze whaler sharks
• ✓Alderman Islands: remote offshore pinnacles with massive kingfish schools, pink maomao, and bronze whalers
• ✓Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve: kelp forest with crayfish, moray eels, caves, and swim-throughs
• ✓SS Wairarapa wreck: 1894 shipwreck scattered at 5 to 15 metres with anchors and portholes accessible to all levels

Getting There

Boat from Leigh, Whitianga, Auckland, or Waiheke Island; 1-2 hours drive from Auckland to Leigh