Underwater Photo Location: Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW

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Julian Rocks is rated as one of the best dive sites in Australia. Coral growth is limited but the abundance and diversity of larger animals is enormous. Manta Rays, Leopard Sharks and Grey Nurse Sharks visit at different times of the year. From the sharks, to pelagics and various species of anemone fish ... through to the numerous species of nudibranchs Julian Rocks provides a prolific concentration of marine life - big and small, all in one location. This makes every dive at Julian a different diving experience. Julian Rocks is a protected marine sanctuary and a no-take zone. The reefs of Julian Rocks attract a great diversity and approx 550 species of marine life have been recorded in the area. Julian rocks is situated within the Cape Byron Marine park in northern NSW, on the east coast of Australia. It is an aggregation site for the endangered grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus . Julian Rocks is also home to an incredible variety of marine species including wobbegongs, rays, turtles, fish, nudibranchs and many more. Humpback whales are often seen passing through the area during their annual winter migration to breeding grounds. Dolphins are seen all year round. "My attraction to Julian Rocks began with the desire to dive with Grey Nurse sharks ... and now I am hooked on sharks ... and constantly amazed at the diversity of marine life at Julian Rocks." I am now a regular visitor to Byron Bay and dive Julian Rocks every Friday. Together with a number of fellow divers, we have commenced photographing the various species of marine life and recording these images on a website dedicated to Julian Rocks. Lynda Clarke has put a serious effort in cataloguing the marine biology of the Julian Rocks and surrounds. She has collated brilliant photos and loads of information - sharks, rays, turtles, fish, starfish, nudibranchs and more. For a glimpse of the marine life that makes the Julian Rocks special, these images can be viewed on website 2 commercial operators run several snorkeling and diving trips to Julian Rocks every day, as well as whale whatching and dolphin tours.The water temperature at Julian Rocks ranges from approx 17 deg through the winter upto 26 deg in the summer. The most common dive sites are the Cod Hole, Hugo's Trench, the Nursery and the Needles. Further out from Julian Rocks, commercial operators will also regularly visit two other reef sites known as Spot-X and Mackeral Boulders.

Facts about Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW

It is in Australia
Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW is in the Pacific.
The typical depth is 0-30 Metres 0-100 Feet.
The typical visibility is 10-30 Metres 30-100 Feet.

Dive Operators - Australia

dive centers - get listed here

Dive types

Marine Life

Diving facilities

Photo facilities

by Dominique Tehei
Byron Bay, at Julian's rock.

by Dominique Tehei
Julian's rock, Byron bay, Australia. One of my favorite macro place. Great Biodiversity.

by Ryan Pedlow
This little fella was knocked off his pearch by a wayward diver's fin. I managed to grab a few quick frames as he soared back down to the bottom.

by Catherine Marshall
Glassfish in the Cod Hole, Byron Bay, Australia

by Chris Carroll
Close up of the eye of a dwarf ornate wobbegong shark - Canon G9 with INON UCL 165- M67 closeup lens

by Catherine Marshall
Mantis shrimp - shot with Canon 7D and 60mm macro lens.

by Catherine Marshall
Lionfish in the Cod Hole, Julian Rocks, NSW - taken with internal strobe from quite close up.

by Joe Daniels
Frog Fish

by Ryan Pedlow
Porcelin Crab. Canon 7D, 100mm macro, Aquatica and Inon.

by Catherine Marshall
Juvenile lionfish, Byron Bay. Taken with a demo Canon 7D and Canon 60mm lens.

by Catherine Marshall
Pufferfish, Byron Bay, taken with a demo Canon 7D

by Doug Anderson
Hypselodoris bennetti. Julian Rocks, Byron Bay.

by Doug Anderson
Diver and gorgonian, Julian Rocks

by Christine Hamilton
A montage of a beautiful Spanish Dancer "dancing" in the current

by Christine Hamilton
"A Face Only a Mother Could Love". Hard to believe that the cute little yellow boxfish can grow up to look like this. A bit like the "Ugly Duckling" in reverse!!!

by Christine Hamilton
Wobbegong Watching

by Mark Gray
Byron Manta. Taken with Nikon D7000 with Tokina 10-17mm @ 10mm with Ikelite ds161 strobes

by Mark Gray
Manta Ray and Friends Sunburst

by Mark Gray
Leopard Shark Sunburst

by Mark Gray
Batfish at the mooring line

by Mark Gray
Nudi Porn?

by Mark Gray
Black Manta in Black and White

by Mark Gray
"The all seeing eye". Photo of a Wobbegongs eye

by Mark Gray
"Reach for nthe Sky". Loggerhead Turtle swimming to the surface

by Mark Gray
"Leopards Spots".

by Mark Gray
Grey Nurse stretching

by Mark Gray
"Pale Face" Wobbegong

by Mark Gray
"Head On".....

by Mark Gray
"The old man's escorts"

by Mark Gray
"Spotlight on the spots". Leopard shark midwater

by Mark Gray
"Grey Nurse and posse"

by Mark Gray
"Sleeping Leopard"

by Mark Gray
"In your face".....

by Mark Gray
"Half a Devil"

by Mark Gray
"Dental Work"...Abbotts Moray

by Mark Gray
"The herd" of Goatfish

by Mark Gray
"Keeper of the cave"......GNS inside the "Cod Hole", Byron Bay

by Mark Gray
"The Whites of his eyes". White Eye Moray Eel

by Mark Gray
"Old Hand". Loggerhead Turtle

by Mark Gray
"Dreadlocks?"

by Mark Gray
"Dive Bomber". Leopard Shark with Sharksuckers

by Mark Gray
"The tip".

by Mark Gray
"Coral Tree Candy"

by Mark Gray
"Tagged Turtle"

by Mark Gray
"The run in". Hale's Wobbegong

by Mark Gray
"Tryon's Horns"

by Mark Gray
"Follow the Leader". School of Large Jewfish (Mulloway)

by Mark Gray
"The old man's portrait"......Loggerhead Turtle

by Mark Gray
"Bump". Grey Nurse Shark before he bumped into me. No crop shot at 10mm

by Mark Gray
"A Sucker for Suckers". Grey Nurse Shark with Shark Suckers

by Mark Gray
"Say Hello to my Little friends". Grey Nurse and friends, Julian Rocks

by Mark Gray
"Claspers" of a Grey Nurse Shark

by Mark Gray
"Stumpy" the Loggerhead

by Mark Gray
"The Cod Hole Nurse"

by Mark Gray
GNS in the Cod Hole part II

by Mark Gray
Clean Teeth

by Mark Gray
GNS

by Mark Gray
GNS X2

by Mark Gray
Grey Nurse Shark inside the "Cod Hole" Julian Rocks, Byron bay, Australia

by Mark Gray
Temperate Water Loggerhead

by Christine Hamilton
Armour Plated !

by Mark Gray
Eating on the run

by Mark Gray
Grey Nurse Nose

by Christine Hamilton
Magnificent Manta

by Christine Hamilton
Soaring over the Reef

by Christine Hamilton
Orange

by Christine Hamilton
Hermit

by Mark Gray
Crusty the Loggerhead

by Mark Gray
Spanish Dancer Rhinophore

by Mark Gray
Grey Nurse at "The Cod hole" , Julian Rocks, Byron Bay

by Christine Hamilton
Batfish

by Christine Hamilton
Byron Manta

by Christine Hamilton
"O Sole Mio"....the singing Batfish

by Bill Van Eyk
Very close by fly-over by a leopard shark

by Bill Van Eyk
Julian Rocks Byron Bay, a friendly Leopard Shark did a couple of flyby's and turned about a foot away from my camera. Lucky I had a wide angle lens!