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About the Club
Members Info
Local Diving
Local Dive Sites
The Reefball Site
SCUBA Links
Application Form
Tassie Dive Clubs & Shops
Tassie Weather (BOM)
Coast View
Local Tidal Predictions
Marine & Safety Tasmania
Aus Volunteer Coast
Guard
Port of Devonport Corp
Devonport Visitor Centre
The North West Coast
RHH Hyperbaric Chamber
TAS Diving Doctors List
Black Ray
Dasyastis thetidis
11 Armed Sea Star
Coscinasterias muricata
Yellow Zoanthids
Parazoanthus sp
Horseshoe Leatherjacket
Meuschenia hippocrepis
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These descriptions of NW Coast dive sites have been
loosely derived from Michael Jacques excellent publication, Dive
Tasmania - ISBN 0 646 30129 2. as well as from the observations
of Leven SCUBA Club members.
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Name
|
Diving Depth
|
Comments
|
| Cape Sorell |
8 - 25 M |
Good Invertebrate life, Rocky bottom with boulders that slopes
away into sponges. Look for Old Wives, Magpie Perch, Wrasse
|
| Reefballs |
20 M |
One of two artificial
reefs established by the LSC. A boat dive for the experienced
diver and situated off Moorlands Beach. Artificial marine habitat
created out of concrete reefballs. Currently home to sponges,
bryzoans, crabs, ascidians, cowfish, rays silverbellies, perch,
and cephalopods |
| Horseshoe Reef |
2 - 18 M |
Fairly uninspiring at
shallower depths but out to sea there are more interesting features.
Definetely the pick of the Devonport dives. Lots of kelp, seastars
nudibranch, wrasse, Magpie & Barber,Banded Morwong, Ascidians,
Bryzoa, Perch, Sponges. Cuttlefish etc etc |
| Devonport Breakwater |
2 - 4 M |
Eastern side of Mersey
Breakwater can be dived if no easterly blowing. Some bits of wreck
about and kelp forest. Really a snorkel dive |
| Mersey Bluff |
5 - 9 M |
Can be attempted as
a shore dive but better from a boat in calm weather. A nice long
dive is possible. Small but well defined features with interesting
marine life, expect, cuttlefish, abalone, nudibranch,leatherjackets,
seastars, anenomes, Magpie Perch |
| The Seal |
28 - 30 M |
The other Leven SCUBA
Club artificial reef. Wreck of the 66ft Seal situated 5 K off
Don Heads. For the experienced diver only due to depth. Largely
broken up and home to a couple of varieties of cod. |
| Don Heads |
5 - 9 M |
Another easy dive (in
the right conditions) in the same vein as Mersey Bluff. Can be
attempted as a shore dive Expect, Bullseyes, Trachinops, Wrasse,
Leatherjackets, Magpie Perch |
| Eugenana (Melrose) Quarry |
5 - 13 M |
The only all year round
all weather dive site on the NW Coast. An old limestone quarry
that has filled with silt and rainwater over the years. Features
freshwater eels, jellyfish, goldfish, the old mine workings and
car bodies of various vintages. |
| Fourth Sister |
10 - 18 M |
An extension of the 3
Sisters near Ulverstone. A 300 Metre reef that terminates at a
pinnacle. Affected by current and home to many pelagics and filter
feeding life |
| Old Tioxide outlet - Heybridge |
1 - 10 M |
Something different.
An easy beach dive in the right conditions. follow the old pipe
out as far as you like. Usual shallow depth Bass St denizens |
| Blackman Reef |
5 - 10 M |
A shore dive right in
the middle of Burnie. A shallow reef extending about 300 Metres
from shore at the eastern end of West Beach Reserve. Good for
invertebratre life |
| Doctors Rocks |
? |
? |
| Wynyard Area |
3 - 20 M |
The NW Coasts answer
to Bicheno. An extensive reef system ranging from 2 to 8 Kilometres
off shore. Best done as a boat charter from the SCUBA Centre.
Dive sites such as steps reef, sanctuary, Golden Canyon, Zoo offer
excellent diving for all. Kelp beds, rocky walls, pinnacles, zoanthids,
sponge gardens galore! |
| Table Cape |
2 - 6 M |
A dive best suited to
calm seas and certainly not when an easterly is running. A narrow
reef close to the cape with medium to large boulders. A boat dive
only. |
| Boat Harbour |
2 - 15 M |
The easiest shore dive
on the coast. There are 3 main dives here. Either head out to
Bird Island from either Crystal Bay or Boat Harbour Point, or
chuck a left at the point and creep along the western edge and
back. Alternatively, saunter into western bay, pick up the Fibre
optic cable and wander out to the finger reefs. Good navigation
is essential. Plenty to see, Boarfish, Trevally, Zebra fish, squid,
seapens, rays, prowfish etc etc |
| Sisters Beach - Sisters Island |
5 - 25 M |
Probably the best collection
of dive sites on the NW. Nearly all are boat dives except for
the Glory Hole, to the east of Sisters Beach township. Around
the area of Sisters Island are numerous reefs and bommies which
support a wide variety of underwater features and life. Difficult
to access if an easterly is running. Sisters Bommie is a favourite,
easy to circumnavigate site. To the west of the boat ramp is Anniversery
Point. |
| Rocky Cape |
5 - 25 M |
Shore dives are possible
from both sides of the cape as well as Boat dives on Outer reef.
Popeyes Rock is popular in western conditions and on the other
side Pebbly beach and the Boomer are the go if the easterlys arent
too brisk. The wreck of the Southern Cross is worth attempting
in the right conditions |
| Stanley Wharf |
2 - 15 M |
A good shore dive if
westerlies have wrecked everywhere else but pointless if an easterly
has been running beforehand. Nasty climb down and back up the
seawall but worth it. Giant Sponges, Skates, nudi's make this
a real gem. |
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