Dive-site story
Located on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour within Chowder Bay, Clifton Gardens is one of Sydney's most celebrated macro and muck diving locations. Divers enter directly from the sandy beach or beside the public jetty to explore sponges, fouling communities on timber pylons, and the surrounding silt flats. The sheltered bay provides calm water conditions suited for night dives, training sessions, and slow critter searches.
Jetty pylons encrusted with soft corals, ascidians, and sponges sheltering small macro critters
Shark netting and discarded structures acting as artificial habitat for bottom-dwelling species
Superb night diving terrain where nocturnal cephalopods and crustaceans emerge across the silt flats
Location
Use the map to plan with your operator and confirm the exact entry point on the day.
Seasonality
Late autumn through winter traditionally brings the clearest harbour water and cooler conditions.
Marine life
| Species | Likelihood | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White's seahorseHippocampus whitei | Common | ||||||||||||
| Striated frogfishAntennarius striatus | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Sydney octopusOctopus tetricus | Common | ||||||||||||
| Giant cuttlefishSepia apama | Common | ||||||||||||
| Old wifeEnoplosus armatus | Common |
Marine forecast
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