Exmouth Navy Pier

Rated among the world’s top ten land-based dive sites, Navy Pier is home to over 200 fish species, from giant Queensland gropers lurking in the depths, to spiralling schools of big-eye trevally and barracuda, to a kaleidoscope of smaller reef fish.

Getting there is easy. Two-hour flights regularly depart from Perth for Learmonth Airport, then it’s a 33-kilometre drive to Exmouth, a short distance from the pier. Book your dive tour at the Ningaloo Visitor Centre in Exmouth in advance – you can only dive Navy Pier, a working Australian Navy facility, with a licensed operator.

A dazzling and ever-changing array of marine species reside among the pier’s pylons and soft corals, including coral trout, angelfish, butterflyfish, moorish idols, lionfish, batfish, painted sweetlip, bannerfish and spectacularly coloured nudibranchs, as well as grey nurse sharks in the winter months.

This diversity is all the more remarkable given that the dive is relatively shallow, with a maximum depth of 15 metres – ideal for novices and veteran divers alike.

You’ll find a range of accommodation and dining options in Exmouth, gateway to Cape Range National Park and the world’s largest fringing reef in Ningaloo Marine Park.