Diving & Snorkelling
The uncrowded, pristine waters of Fleurieu Peninsula make it a diver's paradise. You could come across Leafy Seadragons, sea-lions and giant cuttlefish. And there are magical undersea caves to explore, tucked below ancient limestone.
Ex HMAS Hobart
The former HMAS Hobart, now Australia's most accessible and exciting war wreck, is only a 10 minute boat ride from Marina St Vincent and one of Australia's most popular dive experiences.
Originally one of Australia's great naval destroyers, it's now home to marine flora and fauna and has been declared a marine reserve. The water clarity, the massive fish populations and the giant vessel ensure it's an exciting dive. The Hobart is also the only artificially prepared naval wreck in Australia where divers can gain access to an engine room.
The HMAS Hobart was a Charles F Adam class guided missile destroyer and a sister ship to HMAS Perth and HMAS Brisbane. Built in the United States in 1965, the ship is 133 metres long with a beam of 14.3 metres and a displacement of 4720 tonnes. It was scuttled four nautical miles west-north-west of Marina Vincent in Yankalilla Bay. The reef site is marked with buoys to clearly identify its location and to enable tie-up mooring.
This site is located outside of navigational and commercial fishing areas and is situated in a marine protected area. This means that all divers must obtain a dive permit before entering the protected area. A mooring buoy must also be booked at the same time.
For further information about diving the Hobart call the Yankalilla Visitor Information Centre on +61 8 8558 2999.
Marine Life
The Leafy Seadragon can be recognised by the leafy appendages on its body. It has a long tubular snout, a pectoral fin on its "neck" and a dorsal fin on its "back". It occurs on kelp-covered rocky reefs in depths from about 3-50 metres.
One of the best viewing locations for the Leafy Seadragon is the jetty at Rapid Bay, only 5 kilometres south of Fleurieu Reef and the closest shore dive to Adelaide. Other popular places to seek out this unique marine creature include Second Valley and Victor Harbor.
There's much more marine life to meet, of course, including cuttlefish, Blue Devils, Old Wives, Zebra Fish, and majestic rays. Sea grass communities offer shelter to sponges, erect bryozoans, tube worms, razor shells, seastars, blue swimmer and sand crabs.
Bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins love these waters and are frequently sighted. Although there are no major colonies of seals or other marine mammals on Fleurieu Peninsula, many come to visit - including sea lions and the New Zealand fur seal. Whale sightings are almost exclusively the Southern Right Whale, though fin whales, pilot whales, pygmy sperm whales, false killer whales, Bryde's whale and humpback whales have been reported.
Popular diving areas in the region also include the jetty at Second Valley, Blowhole Creek at Deep Creek Conservation Park, the Bluff at Victor Harbor and Aldinga Reef.
Dive Permits
You can book a dive and obtain a dive permit from these locations:
South Coast Surf
Shop 2 , 79 Main Road Normanville
Telephone: +61 8 85582822
Mobile 0438 853 240
Marina St Vincent
Boat Ramp Office
Telephone: +61 8 8598 3115
See more information on our Diving in South Australia pages.
