Avoca Beach rock pool offers a sheltered, shallow entry point into reef exploration for beginners and snorkellers. Sitting at just 0 to 2 metres deep with visibility ranging from 4 to 9 metres, you can take your time observing various reef species without the pressure of depth or current. The calm, clear water makes it easy to get comfortable in the ocean. January and February bring the best conditions. Watch your footing around sharp coral, and keep an eye on wave sets before you enter, as breaking waves and surge can catch you off guard near the edges.

Avoca Lake is a sheltered, shore-entry snorkelling spot suited to beginners looking for calm, shallow water. Depths stay within a metre of the surface, making it an accessible place to practise snorkelling technique without worrying about current or surge. Visibility can vary considerably depending on recent weather and water movement, so conditions are not always guaranteed. The site features reef structure, and care should be taken around sharp coral, particularly for those new to navigating underwater terrain. Facilities including parking and toilets are on site. The summer and autumn months from November through April generally offer the most favourable conditions.

The ex-HMAS Adelaide is a purpose-sunk decommissioned warship sitting in 13 to 37 metres off New South Wales, making it serious diving territory that demands respect. Visibility swings between 5 and 25 metres depending on conditions, and moderate current means you need to plan your drift carefully. The wreck's internal spaces offer overhead environment penetration, but entanglement risks, sharp edges, and surge require disciplined buoyancy and a torch. Grey nurse sharks are a reliable presence around the structure, with kingfish and squid also working the site. Humpback and southern right whales pass through seasonally, and seals occasionally visit. Fortescues lurk in sheltered spots, so watch where you put your hands.

Copacabana Beach is a gentle shore entry site suited to new snorkellers and divers wanting to build confidence in calm, shallow water. Seagrass beds cover much of the sandy bottom and attract a solid mix of marine life, including turtles, stingrays, and blue gropers. Cuttlefish, octopus, and yellowtail are also regulars here. Visibility typically ranges from 4 to 10 metres, and the current is mild. Be aware of surf and a potential rip current near the entry point, and keep an eye out for boat traffic. Give any marine life plenty of space and avoid touching stingrays resting on the sand.

The Slide is a shore dive off Terrigal that combines a sloping reef with a wall section, giving beginner divers a straightforward layout to explore. Depths run from 8 to 18 metres, so you can control your experience by staying shallower until you're comfortable going deeper. Visibility typically ranges from 4 to 9 metres. Current is generally mild, which makes navigation manageable. The reef structure supports a good variety of sponges, and patient divers will find nudibranchs tucked into rocky surfaces. Australian salmon and kingfish pass through, adding some open-water action. The main hazard to watch is surf at the entry point, so time your entry carefully.

Skillion Cave combines a swim-through cavern with a wall drop-off that reaches 22 metres, making it one of the more technically interesting shore dives on the New South Wales central coast. Visibility ranges from 5 to 15 metres depending on conditions, with the cleaner water typically found during the cooler months from May through September. Wobbegong and Port Jackson sharks shelter on the bottom and within the cavern itself, while bull rays cruise the sandy areas below the wall. Jewel anemones and nudibranchs reward slower, attentive divers on the reef structure, and kingfish or bonito occasionally pass through in open water above. Current is generally mild, but surge at the entry and sharp coral demand respect.

The Haven is a sheltered beach entry site that works well for new divers and snorkellers. The bottom transitions from sandy shallows through seagrass beds into patchy reef and kelp forest, topping out at 15 metres. Visibility typically runs 5 to 9 metres, and the current is mild, so you can take your time. The site functions as a fish nursery, meaning you will regularly encounter juvenile fish alongside luderick, cuttlefish, and stingrays cruising the sandy patches. Gropers hold territory around the reef structure, and weedy seadragons turn up in the kelp and seagrass if you move slowly and look carefully. Port Jackson sharks rest on the bottom, particularly during cooler months. Watch for boat traffic on entry and exit, and be aware that surge can pick up close to the reef.

MacMasters Beach rockpool is a sheltered entry-level snorkelling spot where shallow, calm water lets you explore at your own pace without any current to worry about. The site sits between 0 and 2 metres deep, so you can stand up whenever you need to, making it genuinely comfortable for first-timers or those introducing children to the underwater world. Visibility ranges from 4 to 10 metres, giving you a clear view of the small fish that move through the rockpool. Time your visit for the cooler months between May and September for the best conditions. Watch for breaking waves and surge near the entry point, and wait for a lull before stepping in.