Dear dive club friends and underwater enthusiasts,

 

Were you upset at missing out last month on diving at the illustrious Fish Rock Cave in South West Rocks, the world's only open water cavern? Well have no fear as next month we are running it back from the top, and if that alone isn't enough to tempt you, this time we will be visiting slap bang in the middle of hammerhead season.

 

That's right, you are all formally invited to sign up for the UNSW Underwater Club's trip to South West Rocks, which will run from 20-22nd November. We'll be heading up for a long weekend arriving evening of Thursday 19th, with dives planned for Friday and Saturday, and then returning to Sydney on Sunday.

 

A little bit about the dive site:

 

Fish Rock Cave is a 125m long underwater cave located a short boat ride out of South West Rocks and is home to a lovely resident Grey Nurse shark population, with plenty of wobbegongs, rays, nudis, and other fun fishy friends to keep things interesting.

A number of other subaquatic sensations are seasonal to the area, chiefly among which are the gorgeous scalloped hammerheads, which rock up between October and January. We may also be lucky enough to catch the last stragglers of the humpback whales as they make their way south with their calves, so keep your eyes peeled.

 

All this is to say: you don't want to miss this!

 

There is but one catch my bathyscaphic buddies. Fish Rock Cave is a challenging site which will be at times deep (up to 30m), dark, and without a direct ascent to the surface. As such, to register for this trip you will need to be a confident diver with at least a PADI Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent and 40 logged dives. Very importantly, you will also need TWO sources of light (one primary and one backup). Dive torches can be found for cheap on Facebook marketplace or rented from a dive shop, and as always each diver will also need their own dive computer and DSMB, and know how to use them!

 

If you're still keen then allow us at the Underwater Club to South West Rock your socks off at the best dive site in New South Wales by signing up for the trip!

 

$230- includes accommodation, all food, and booze for a party night!

Drinks will be provided but don't expect anything too fancy, and if you have particular tastes, BYO.

You will need to pay for boat dives and air fills separately (see below). 

 

19-22 November (arriving evening of the 19th, returning to Sydney on the 22nd).

Note that South West Rocks is at least a five hour drive from Sydney, so plan accordingly!

 

South West Rocks

 

Bookings open on 7:00pm Wednesday, 21st October 2026 on the club website, here.

 

 

You will need to be a paid 2026 member to register. Please note that the number of attendees on this trip is limited. A waitlist will be opened 10 minutes after bookings for those that miss out in case of cancellations. Further details regarding this trip will be sent to members after they’ve register and paid.

 

South West Rocks is scenic five-hour drive north of Sydney. Everyone is responsible for organising their own transport (including dive gear), and we recommend carpooling!

 

You are responsible for organising your own gear. BCDs, tanks, regulators, dive computers, wetsuits, masks, fins and weights are all available to hire from the club through our gear hire portal (https://www.revolutionise.com.au/underwaterclub/gear-hire-portal/).

Note the limited availability on dive gear. We will try to prioritise those going the trip above other club members, but if there is anything else you need you can hire it from any dive shop you choose in Sydney.

 

Boat dives with the club cost $30 each, a fraction of those of a commercial operation! The boat will pick you up from Trial Bay Beach and from there it is a short twenty minute run out to Fish Rock. We will aim for two dives per person/day for Friday and Saturday dependent on weather and conditions. Tank fills aren't included and will be purchased at the local dive shop, so expect to pay about $15 per fill.

 

VERY IMPORTANT:
The cave is pitch black in sections, as such it is necessary that everybody have THEIR OWN torch and THEIR OWN backup light source - they can be rented from a number of dive shops in Sydney if you don't have one. The same goes for your OWN safety sausage and dive computer. No SMB / computer = no diving.

 

In order to participate in the organised dives, you will need to show us your SCUBA certification card and be competent and confident in your swimming abilities. You should have dived within the past 12 months and be comfortable to dive in a buddy pair without a dive guide (we aren’t a commercial dive shop).

 

We can accommodate for all dietaries - please let us know if you have any requirements once you have registered.

 

Beds are assigned on a first-paid, first-served basis. If you are not assigned a bed please bring something comfy to sleep on like a sleeping bag, roll mat/air mattress, tent, or whatever you fancy. If you are uncomfortable sharing a house/bedroom with people you don’t know, this trip is unfortunately not for you.

 

Zoi +61479193054

Tom +61452150682

 

Kind regards,

UNSW Underwater Club