Tweed Heads & Cook Island   Byron Bay   Coff's Harbour 
  
South West Rocks   Port Macquarie   Lord Howe Island   Norfolk Island  

North Haven   Forster-Seal Rocks   Port Stephens  

Newcastle-Swansea    Central Coast – Terrigal   Sydney North  

Sydney South   Wollongong to Kiama    Jervis Bay   Uladulla  

Bateman's Bay    Narooma-Montague Island   Tathra   Merimbula  

 

A large town at the mouth of the Richmond River, Ballina is a popular holiday destination, particularly for families.  The area is not usually promoted as a dive destination, and the relatively low numbers of visiting divers means plenty of unspoiled sites offshore.

Scuba diving can be organized through clubs. Visitors will find there are plenty of motels and caravan parks, excellent beaches and a host of other water-based activities, including a famous waterslide. Ballina can get quite crowded during the school holidays so make a point of pre-booking accommodation if planning a visit at this time. Ballina is a suitable base for exploring the dive sites of far northern New South Wales.

Black coral Antipathes sp

A relatively common inhabitant of subtidal reefs along the central coast, the White Black Coral Antipathes sp. may grow to heights of 2 metres and is often seen growing out from the sides of bommies and rock walls. ( photo: Neville Coleman)

Lennox Pinnacles

A number of rocky reefs covered in kelp and sponges are located off Lennox Head, in depths of 12-15 m. A careful look will reveal nudibranchs, flatworms, sea stars, egg cowries and other molluscs. The reefs support large populations of fish, morwong, blue gropers, shovelnose rays, bullseyes, trevally, wobbegong sharks, stingrays, kingfish, bream, sweep, and an interesting assortment of tropical reef species

Panulinus longipes femostriga

Living in caves and crevices the Rock Lobster Panulirus longipes femostriga can be seen from low tide level down to and beyond 70 metres. It is a nocturnal species and comes out at night to feed. ( photo: Neville Coleman) 

 

Toe-nail egg cowry Calpurnus verrucosus

Typical of the fine spotted mantle pattern found on central coast specimens this Thumb – nail Egg Cowry Calpurnus verrucosus feeds on soft corals and may be seen on coastal offshore and inshore reefs. ( photo: Neville Coleman)

Richmond River

An exceptional variety of marine and estuarine creatures can be found along the banks of the Richmond River, which floods with salt water on each high tide. Dives can be enjoyed anywhere along the rocky shoreline in depths from 5-10 m.

Over summer ( before the wet season) large numbers of tropical fish inhabit the river including butterflyfish, angelfish and wrasse. At other times it can be full of baitfish or huge female flatheads ( during spawning season). Divers may also be lucky enough to find many nudibranchs and other invertebrates.

Multi-spine damsel Neoglyphidodon polyacanthus Juv

Chaetodon tricinctus 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Left: Juvenile Multi-spine Damsels Neoglyphidodon polycanthus are far more attractive than their drab- looking adults. these little gems are relatively common amongst the rocks and coral outcrops of the central reefs.
( photo: Neville Coleman)

Right: Rarely recognised outside of its prime locations at Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, the Three – banded Butterflyfish Chaetodon tricinctus is never the less recorded from the offshore reefs of northern New South Wales, to at least the Solitary Islands off Coff's Harbour. ( photo: Neville Coleman)

Black Head

Lobster and a variety of reef fish live on this rocky reef, located just off the mouth of the Richmond River, in depths of 8-10 m. Wobbegong sharks and stingrays are found at the base of the reef, among the kelp beds on the sea bottom.

 

North and South Riordan Shoals

Although the shoals are relatively unexplored, the sites dived to date have proved exciting. Pinnacles, gutters and ledges have been discovered in depths from 18-40 m, and brilliant sponge gardens further down. Reef fish and invertebrates are plentiful. Look out for blue gropers, kingfish, wobbegong sharks, moray eels and the occasional turtle.

Blue angelfish

A resident of many reefs off northern New South Wales, the Blue Angelfish Pomacanthus semicircularis was once thought to only be a summer visitor from the Great Rarrier Reef, but the species is well established south of the border.      ( photo: Neville Coleman)

Eastern pomfred Schuetta scalaripinnis

Usually seen in the vicinity of shady drop offs or caves Eastern Pomfreds Schuetta scalaripinnus appear common in some areas, but is not at all easy to photograph. ( photo: Neville Coleman)

North and South Evans Reefs

Chelmon rostratus

Long- snouted Coralfish Chelmon rostratus are amongst the many species of butterflyfish which are seen along the northern coast of New South Wales. Juveniles have been recorded as far south as South West Rocks. ( photo: Neville Coleman)

This group, featuring marine life similar to the Riordan Shoals, provides good diving in depths from 20-25 m, and also awaits further exploration.

 

Tweed Heads & Cook Island   Byron Bay   Coff's Harbour 
  
South West Rocks   Port Macquarie   Lord Howe Island   Norfolk Island  

North Haven   Forster-Seal Rocks   Port Stephens  

Newcastle-Swansea    Central Coast – Terrigal   Sydney North  

Sydney South   Wollongong to Kiama    Jervis Bay   Uladulla  

Bateman's Bay    Narooma-Montague Island   Tathra   Merimbula 

 

Neville Coleman's diving expeditions, fauna surveys, photographic fauna surveys and marine life identification courses include every major group of marine life. 

Neville Coleman's expertise in living taxonomy and marine life identification extends to the identification of Algae, Sea Grass, Forams, Sponges, Stony Corals, Soft Corals, Sea Anemones, Sea Jellies, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Black Corals, Flatworms, Segmented Worms, Crustaceans, Barnacles, Shrimps, Rock Lobsters, Hermit Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Molluscs, Chitons, Univalves, Bivalves, Cephalopods, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Squid, Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs, Bryozoans, Sea Mosses, Echinoderms, Sea Stars, Feather Stars, Brittle Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Ascidians/Sea Squirts, Marine Fish, Sharks, Marine Reptiles, and Marine Mammals, all found in the waters around.

( Copyright Neville Coleman/Nigel Marsh)

 

Ballina 2 

 

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