Cabbage Tree Bay at Norah Head is a calm, shallow reef dive that suits beginners well. Shore entry keeps things straightforward, and the easy shallow waters of 1 to 7 metres mean you can take your time exploring the reef without worrying about depth. Visibility runs from 5 to 10 metres, giving you a decent look at the various reef species that make their home here. Current is variable, so check conditions before you get in. The main thing to stay aware of is boat traffic in the area, so make sure you use a surface marker buoy when ascending.

Ghosties is a wall and cave site off New South Wales, accessible by boat and suitable for beginner divers comfortable with mild current. Depths run from the surface to 12 metres, making air consumption manageable while you explore the wall and peer into cave openings. Visibility is variable, so conditions can change between dives. Keep an eye on the sandy bottom and along the wall for eagle rays and stingrays, and look into crevices for moray eels. Nudibranchs appear on the wall itself, while small schooling fish tend to gather in open water nearby. Be aware that surf, surge, rip currents, and boat traffic are all real hazards here, so always dive with a buddy and follow your guide's briefing carefully.

Desoto Inlet is a boat-accessed reef and drift site off New South Wales that suits beginner divers well. Depths run from 6 to 16 metres, so you stay well within comfortable limits while still exploring the reef structure. Visibility varies considerably, so conditions can differ noticeably from one visit to the next. A mild current does most of the work on drift sections, which makes for relaxed viewing. Keep an eye on the reef and sandy patches for wobbegong sharks and flathead, both excellent camouflage artists. Port Jackson sharks, rays, silver sweep, yellowtail, seapike, and shrimp round out what you might encounter. Be aware of surf on entry and exit.

Catherine Hill Bay combines natural reef, a wreck, and artificial reef structures across a depth range of 3 to 30 metres, giving intermediate divers genuine variety on a single shore entry. Visibility swings between 5 and 25 metres depending on conditions, with the cleaner water typically found from autumn through to late spring. A moderate current runs through the site, so timing your dive around the slack is worth doing. Rays and Port Jackson sharks patrol the bottom, flathead sit camouflaged on sandy patches, and schools of yellowtail, silver sweep, and seapike work the mid-water. Nudibranchs reward anyone who slows down and looks closely at the structure.

Chris' Wall is a boat dive along a vertical wall dropping to around 20 to 21 metres, making it an approachable introduction to wall diving for beginners. Visibility typically ranges from 10 to 20 metres, giving you a clear view of what's living along the wall face. Keep an eye on the sandy bottom for fiddler rays and stingrays resting quietly, and scan the wall itself for octopus tucked into crevices, moray eels peering from holes, and colourful nudibranchs on the rock surface. Eagle rays occasionally cruise past in open water. Current is generally mild, but stay aware of boat traffic on the surface and watch out for sharp coral when you're close to the wall.

Sunshine Cove is a shore entry reef dive suited to beginners, with depths ranging from the surface down to 12 metres. Visibility here is variable, so conditions can change between visits, and currents are generally mild. The reef supports a mix of fish life including blue groper, red morwong, luderick, sea bream, and gropers. Look closer along the reef structure and you may spot blacklip abalone and lobster. No particular hazards are noted, making this a comfortable site to build confidence in the water. Check locally for current conditions before heading in.

3 Mile Bommie is a reef and cave site off New South Wales that delivers a genuine wildlife encounter for beginner divers. The shallower sections start at 5 metres, making it comfortable for those still building confidence, while the reef drops to 22 metres for those ready to push a little deeper. Visibility runs from 5 to 15 metres depending on conditions, and the current stays mild. Keep an eye on the reef structure for wobbegong sharks resting on ledges and blue groper moving through the water. Grey nurse sharks are also present here, so be calm and move slowly. Sessile communities attach to the cave walls and reef surfaces throughout the site.

The pylons of Swansea Bridge create an artificial reef structure in easy shallow waters of 5 to 7 metres, but make no mistake: this is an advanced site driven entirely by tidal dynamics. Visibility runs 4 to 6 metres and shifts with the current, which can become dangerously strong outside narrow slack water windows. Time your entry correctly and the pylons reward you with seahorses, nudibranchs, and moray eels in the encrusted structure, while luderick, bream, yellowtail, and kingfish work the water column. Bull rays and stingrays patrol the sandy bottom, and catfish eels are worth searching for in the gaps. Surface marker buoys are non-negotiable given the active boat traffic through the channel.