Michael McFadyen's Scuba Diving Web Site
Home · Contact Me · Sydney Reef Dive Sites · Sydney Shipwrecks · NSW Dive Sites · Australian Dive Sites · Overseas Dive Sites · Dive Accidents and Incidents · My Yachting Adventures · 4WD Trips · Weather · Search 12 December 2024 19:37
Navigation
Home

General
About Me
My Diving
FAQ
Downloads
Web Links - Dive Clubs
St George Scuba Club
Some of my Best Photos
Contact Me

Dive Sites
Sydney Reef Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwrecks
Sydney Dive Visibility, Swell and Temps
Kelly Talking on ABC Sydney about Shipwrecks
NSW Dive Sites
Sydney Shipwreck Summary
NSW Shipwreck GPS/Marks
Australian Dive Sites
Overseas Dive Sites
Aircraft I have Dived
Old Bottles
Free Shipwreck Books

Dive Related Equipment
Shearwater Predator and Heinrichs Weikamp OSTC 2N
Uwatec Aladin Dive Computers
Apollo AV1 Underwater Scooter
Bauer Compressor
DIY Oxygen Stick - Nitrox
GoPro HD Hero Video Camera
My Camera Setup
Purchase of New Dive Boat
My Dive Boat - Mak Cat
My Old Dive Boat - Le Scat
My Dive Gear
GPS and Diving
Make Your Own Car Tank Rack

Marine Life
Rarer Sydney Marine Life
Bare Island Pygmy Pipe Horses
Bare Island Sea Horses
Bare Island Nudibranchs
Bare Island Marine Life
Encounter with Southern Right Whale and Calf

Other Dive Info
How Weather Affects Diving in Sydney
Visibility and Wave Averages in Sydney
Waves and Diving
Diving Weather and Sea Conditions
Tide Tables
Dive Accidents and Incidents
Dive Book Reviews
Site Map
Noel Hitchins 1951-2005
Lloyd Bridges - Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt
My Yachting Adventures
Below is a list of links to the main pages about my yacht, Catlypso and My Yachting Adventures:
  • Purchase of Catlypso
  • Details about Catlypso
  • Cleaning/Repairing Catlypso
  • My Yachting Adventures.
  • Login
    Username

    Password



    Forgotten your password?
    Request a new one here.
    Michael's 4WD Trips
    Click here for a list of my Four Wheel Drive and Camping Trips.
    Home Brewing
    Click here for an article about Home Brewing.
    Sydney Dive Site Hints
    "Xanadu was named as it is near Voodoo Reef and it rhymed"
    Little Beach
    Port Stephens is the next waterway north of Newcastle, New South Wales. It was named by Lieutenant James Cook, RN, in 1770 as he passed by on his historic voyage of discovery. Nelson Bay is the main town of Port Stephens and is a major tourist attraction. Tourists from all over the World come here to see the wild dolphins that live in the waterway and which can almost certainly be seen on every cruise.

    Little Beach
    The dive starts at the bottom right and heads to the end of the wharf in centre.
    Then to the white boat at left. Then back past wharf to under the yachts

    One of the reasons that the dolphins are so common here is that the waters are normally so pristine and the fishlife prolific. As divers, this is something that makes this a major attraction. Nelson Bay is one of my favourite dive locations in New South Wales and the best sites are all shore dives. You can do five or six different dives in this area, including Halifax Park, Fly Point and the Sewage Pipe.

    Nearly all the dives here are dependent on the tides (best done at high tide and only able to be down at high or low tides). One of these is Little Beach. To find this spot, head towards either Fly Point or Halifax Park. If you go to Fly Point, keep going along Victoria Parade (the street that Fly Point is in) till you almost reach the end. Park in the car park on your left (or right if it is full). This is at the intersection of Victoria Parade, Beach Road and Dixon Drive. If you are driving towards Halifax Park, turn left at Victoria Parade (the road just before the beach and boat ramp) and park on the right (or left if full). You are parking in the area jsut outside the cafe's parking area.

    Once geared up, walk towards the small wharf to your right as you look at the water. There is a worn track down to the beach just before the wharf structure. Take this and walk into the water before putting on your mask and fins. Be careful as there are many rocks on the bottom. Once you have descended, head just west of north and you will pass by the end of the wharf that comes out from the cafe.

    Little BeachLittle Beach
    One of the pylons of the wharf at Little Beach Luderick under the wharf at Little Beach

    This is a spot that has some amazing fishlife. Under the wharf there are literally hundreds of luderick and large numbers of bream. It is worth hanging around here for a few minutes just to experience the fishlife. To the north of the wharf there are lots of bits of old wharves, pieces of wharf decking and whole pylons. In this area there are also sea horses. These are White's sea horses and the ones that I have seen when diving here are quite small, about 25 to 30 mm long. Look carefully on the sponges. The depth under here is about 8 metres.

    From here, head roughly west and you will see some more wharf bits. On you left you will notice that the bottom slopes down and if you follow the flatter bottom you will be heading in the right direction. As you go you will see that the bottom is sand with some spots that have sponges, small gorgonias and other marine life. These have a lot of life on them, including nudibranchs, fish and sometimes sea horses.

    Little BeachLittle Beach
    The A-frame at Little Beach
    Sorry, not a great photo
    Sponges on one corner of the pontoon at Little Beach

    The depth will stay the same for about five or so minutes before gradually dropping to 12 metres. In this area ytou will see a large object totally covered in growth. This is the remains of an A-frame that sunk here (you will see one on the water before you enter). A sbort distance to the south-west there is a large pontoon. This is about three metres wide and 15 metres long. Like the A-frame, it is totally covered in growth, mostly sponges. There is also quite good fishlife in this area. look for bream, yellowtail, blue groper and more.

    Once you leave this spot, head back towards the east, roughly running parallel to your route out to here. Look for more sea horses and also pipefish. When you are back near the wharf, head out towards the north. The bottom is similar to that encountered previously.

    Little BeachLittle Beach
    These gorgonias are very common hereA very small White's sea horse I
    saw near the wharf at Little Beach

    After a short distance you may see a mooring and then a piece of rope that seems to run from left to right. Go a bit past this and you will see that the bottom goes to a mostly sand bottom. Head right here and you will soon encounter what appears to be a barge. Dave Harasti from Fisheries who showed me this site says that it is the remains of a houseboat. You will see that it is about 5 metres wide and perhaps 15 metres long. The section to the east is now almost totally under the sand. Apparently it has changed a lot in the past year or so before I first dived here in 2007.

    There are a lot of fish in this area, yellowtail, seapike and more. From here head to the south and you will end up back near where you started. Exit back onto the beach.

    This is a very nice dive. I had about 20 metre visibility here on a small high tide.

    This would also make a very good night dive.

    MORE PHOTOS

  • Photos of Port Stephens Nudibranchs
  • Photos of Port Stephens More Unusual Species
  • Photos of Port Stephens Spindle Cowries

  • Copyright © Michael McFadyen 1990 to 2024
    Non-commercial use of an article or photograph is permitted with appropriate URL reference to this site.
    Dive shops, dive operators, publications and government departments cannot use anything without first seeking and receiving approval from Michael McFadyen.
    This web site has been wholly thought up, designed, constructed and funded for almost 30 years by Michael McFadyen without any help from the Australian Dive Industry.
    Website created 1996!