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A unique location, this is the only place in Australia where you can get up close to great white sharks in their own environment - an experience of a lifetime.

Surface and ocean floor cage diving in the sheltered areas or Main and Action Bays allow for a truly phenomenal experience. Water temperature ranges from 14-22C and visibility up to 20 metres.

The Neptune Islands Conservation Park was proclaimed in 1967 to mainly conserve the New Zealand fur seal, one of the largest in Australia. Other features that contributed include the small breeding population of Australian sea lions, the heritage buildings and the breeding and nesting of the Cape Barren goose, white-bellied sea eagle, osprey and peregrine falcon. The Neptune Islands Group (Ron and Valerie Taylor) Marine Park was created in 2012. Centred on these remote islands, the park includes sheltered seagrass, a sandy seafloor and deep water habitats with a range of marine life. The park is an internationally significant site for great white sharks and befittingly named after two great renowned shark experts and marine conservation pioneers. 

November to May is when the fur seals congregate for their annual pupping and breeding season. The weather and water are warmer, but is more unreliable for shark activity. The long summer days allow for more island exploring and it’s possible to encounter bronze whaler and mako sharks on the trips. Average water temperature is 20C. 

May to October is the main viewing season, when the growing seal pups start to venture further from the safety of the shore and start hunting for themselves. This provides a natural food source for the sharks and in turn, more natural predation events are witnessed. Huge females are seen more reliably from May to July and the most sharks are recorded from July to October. Average water temperature is 16C.

Although there are strong annual trends in shark reliability, activity and weather conditions, great white sharks can actually be found at the Neptune Islands in any given month. Naturally there are great variations and exceptions to the rules every season with both the weather and sharks.

View suggested itineraries

Key info

  • Ideal for viewing: great white shark, spotted eagle ray, giant grouper, New Zealand fur seal

Dive trips

This dive location is featured in the following itineraries:
Our suggested liveaboard is shown below. Please contact us for further recommendations.

MV Rodney Fox

Experience the ultimate diving adventure! A trip on the MV Rodney Fox (formerly Princess II) offers unrivalled cage diving with mature great white sharks. Also suitable for non-divers who can experience a surface cage adventure. Find Out More about MV Rodney Fox