Nelson Bay is on the Central Coast of New South Wales in Australia, about an hour's drive north of Newcastle. The underwater world is amazing, with sponge gardens, soft corals, sea turtles and a colourful array of fish. Nelson Bay has some of Australia’s best shore dive sites, and there are some excellent dive spots along the exposed coastline and around the islands just offshore.

The signature dives are on Broughton Island, in particular, ‘Looking Glass’ which is a dive through a crack/arch in the rock, which you’ll share with grey nurse sharks.  This should be at the top of your agenda if you have not dived Nelson Bay before.

There are a number of local shore dives, including ‘Halifax Park’, which can be done as drift or reef dive.  Thousands of fish in a very colourful sponge garden.