Bass Point

The Definitive Map: Navigating the Hubs of Bass Point

By ScubaDownUnder Team · 2026-02-18

# The Definitive Map: Navigating the Hubs of Bass Point

To make it crystal clear: Bass Point isn't one "entry point" with four options; it is a sprawling reserve with **three distinct parking and entry zones**. If you gear up at the wrong one, you’re in for a very long hike in a heavy 7mm wetsuit!

## Zone A: The Main Reserve (The Gut & The Archway)

This is the "classic" Bass Point experience. Follow the road all the way to the end of the peninsula.

### 1. The Gut

* **The Entry:** Park in the main car park at the very end of the road. You’ll see a wide, **concrete boat ramp** (now defunct for boats) that leads directly into a narrow rock channel. * **The Dive:** This is a "linear" dive. You enter the water at the ramp, swim out the channel, and return to the same ramp. * **Expert Tip:** On the way out, stick to the **Northern Wall** (left side as you face the ocean). On the way back, cross over and follow the **Southern Wall**. This ensures you don't miss the diverse sponge life tucked into the basalt crevices.

### The Gut This is the heart of Bass Point and the most reliable entry for any level of diver. Located at the very end of the reserve road, you’ll gear up and head down the concrete ramp into a protected basalt channel. The dive typically involves following the northern wall out to the mouth of the inlet and returning along the southern edge. It’s a shallow masterclass in temperate marine life, where you’ll find Port Jackson Sharks resting on the pebble bottom and Cuttlefish hovering near the kelp. Because of its sheltered nature, it’s the go-to spot for night diving or testing out a new piece of kit.

### 2. The Archway

* **The Entry:** This is a "Grand Tour" extension of The Gut. You enter at the same **concrete ramp**. * **The Route:** Once you reach the mouth of The Gut, instead of turning back, you hang a **hard left (North)** and follow the reef edge for about 80–100 metres. * **The Landmark:** You’ll pass a series of large boulders until the bottom drops slightly and the massive basalt **Archway** appears. * **Warning:** This is a long swim. Monitor your air closely (the Rule of Thirds is your best friend here) to ensure you have enough gas to navigate back into the shelter of The Gut for your exit.

### The Archway For those seeking a bit more "wow factor" in their underwater photography, the Archway is the premier geological feature of the region. This isn't a separate car park; you enter via The Gut’s concrete ramp and commit to a sustained surface swim or underwater trek to the North-East. At around 18 to 24 metres, a massive natural stone bridge looms out of the blue, its ceiling encrusted with vibrant Gold and Orange Cup Corals. It’s a high-energy site that demands excellent air management and a calm sea state, as it’s far more exposed to the Tasman Sea’s moods than the inner bays.

## Zone B: The Sanctuary ([Bushrangers Bay](https://www.scubadownunder.com/dive-sites/bushrangers-bay))

Located on the eastern/seaward side of the point. You’ll see a separate car park labeled "Bushrangers Bay" about 500 metres before you hit the end of the road. ### 3. Bushrangers Bay

* **The Entry:** From the car park, follow the timber and gravel path. You’ll descend a **long flight of stairs** (roughly 60–80 steps) down to a pebble beach. * **The Dive:** Enter from the beach. This is a massive, bowl-shaped bay. * **The "Nurse" Huddle:** Swim towards the centre-right of the bay where the seagrass meets the rock ledges. This is the prime real estate for **Grey Nurse Sharks** and **Large Eastern Blue Gropers**. * **Exit:** You must exit back at the beach and climb those stairs. It's the "Stairway to Fitness," so take it slow!

### Bushrangers Bay Located a short drive back from the end of the point, this site requires a bit of "shore-diver's grit" to tackle the long staircase down to the water. Once you reach the pebble beach, you’re entering a No-Take Marine Sanctuary, meaning the fish are larger and far less timid than elsewhere. The bay is a sprawling aquatic amphitheatre; if you swim toward the outer edges, you’ll often find Grey Nurse Sharks patrolling the deeper gutters. It’s arguably the most beautiful spot on the peninsula, but remember: what goes down must come up, save some energy for the hike back up to the car!

## Zone C: The Industrial Edge (Gravel Loader)

This area is technically just *outside* the main gated reserve entrance, near the large jetty structure.

### 4. The Gravel Loader

* **The Entry:** Park near the old jetty. Enter from the **old boat ramp** just east of the loader and snorkel about 30 m out to it (the alternative is a western-side entry against the loader's rock wall). * **The Dive:** You are diving around the steel pylons, girders and twisted metal of an **old gravel loader and a former jetty**. * **The Topology:** Unlike the deep basalt of the Archway, this is shallow (**2 to 12 m**) and dominated by steel pylons, girders and twisted metal. * **The Drawcard:** Giant and small **cuttlefish**, old wives, blue groper, bigscale bullseyes and nudibranchs, with the occasional common seahorse on the piles and, at times, grey nurse sharks off the end.

### [The Gravel Loader](https://scubadownunder.com/dive-sites/bass-point-gravel-loader) Situated just outside the main reserve gates near the industrial jetty, this site offers a completely different vibe. Enter from the old boat ramp just east of the loader and snorkel about 30 m out, then drop into a shallow field of steel pylons, girders and twisted metal left by an old gravel loader and a former jetty. Cuttlefish, old wives, blue groper and nudibranchs are the regulars, common seahorses turn up on the piles now and then, and grey nurse sharks have at times been seen off the end. It’s a shallower, grittier dive that rewards those who take the time to peer into every rusted crevice. The wreck of the SS Cities Service Boston (1943) is a separate shore dive, from the north-eastern corner of Bass Point Reserve.

### Fact-Check: Marine Protection

It is vital to remember that **Bushrangers Bay is a No-Take Marine Reserve**. While you can spearfish or line-fish in other parts of Bass Point (subject to NSW DPI regulations), doing so in Bushrangers will result in hefty fines. As divers, we act as the eyes of the coast, if you see illegal fishing in the sanctuary, it's worth a polite word or a call to the fisheries tip-line.

### Pro Diver Tip: The "Surge Check"

Before you kit up at the car park, walk down to the **Gut Ramp** or the **Bushrangers Stairs**. Look at how the water is moving against the rocks. If the water is "boiling" (white, aerated foam) or surging more than a metre up the ramp, it’s a "No-Go" day. Bass Point basalt is unforgiving, and the barnacles will shredded a drysuit (and skin) in seconds if you get tossed against them.

[Bushrangers Bay Dive](https://www.scubadownunder.com/blog/bushies-shell-harbour)

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*Planning a [NSW](https://scubadownunder.com/blog/best-places-to-dive-in-nsw) dive trip? See our [region-by-region guide to the best places to dive in NSW](https://www.scubadownunder.com/blog/best-places-to-dive-in-nsw) for the full overview of dive sites across the state.*