Dive-site story
Martin Island forms part of the Five Islands Nature Reserve off Port Kembla on the New South Wales South Coast. Rocky gutters, kelp-covered boulders, and swim-throughs define the underwater terrain below an active Australian fur seal haul-out. Seals dart through the shallows, sharing the reef with temperate fish and seasonal elasmobranch aggregations.
Australian fur seals maneuvering through the island shallows
Rocky gutters and crevices sheltering resting wobbegongs and Port Jackson sharks
Grey nurse sharks patrolling the deeper gutters
Location
Use the map to plan with your operator and confirm the exact entry point on the day.
Seasonality
Late summer through autumn brings warmer water via the East Australian Current alongside the clearest visibility.
Marine life
| Species | Likelihood | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Fur SealArctocephalus pusillus doriferus | Common | ||||||||||||
| Eastern Blue GroperAchoerodus viridis | Common | ||||||||||||
| Spotted WobbegongOrectolobus maculatus | Common | ||||||||||||
| Port Jackson SharkHeterodontus portusjacksoni | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Grey Nurse SharkCarcharias taurus | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Australian Giant CuttlefishSepia apama | Seasonal |
Marine forecast
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