Rapid Bay Jetty Dive Site

The seadragon capital of the world

The Rapid Bay Jetty is the most reliable shore dive in Australia for spotting Glauert's leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) in the wild. The seagrass meadows around the pylons of the new 240-metre jetty are the seadragon hotspot, and on a calm day you have a very good chance of seeing several on a single dive.

Two jetties side by side

The original 1942 jetty was built to load crushed limestone onto ships. The new jetty, opened in 2009, runs parallel to it and is the recreational structure that divers use today. Park at the carpark, walk your gear out (a trolley helps - it is a long jetty), and drop in off the steps at the end.

What you'll see

Most of the action is shallower than 10 metres, so you get long bottom times. The pylons are covered in Culicia cup coral, sponges and nudibranchs. Beyond the seadragons, expect to see schools of old wives, blue groper, pufferfish, leatherjackets, cowfish, the occasional bull ray and Port Jackson sharks.

Conditions

Best in calm weather with light winds. Visibility ranges from poor (after storms) to spectacular (10-20 metres on the best days). The site is well-signed and has toilets at the carpark. Suitable for shore dives only - boat anchoring is restricted in the area.