The Australian Fur Seal Colony is the dive at Montague Island that new and regular divers alike go for. Boats anchor close to the colony, and most of the seals lie out on the surface within 20 metres of the boat while others play in the water below. The dive is easy and suits divers of all levels.
Also known as Fur Seal Colony, Australian Fur Seal Colony.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Montague Island and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The boat anchors beside the colony, and the first seals are already on the surface within 20 metres of it. Below, most of the seals frolic in water three to 15 metres deep, so the dive stays shallow and easy for divers of all levels.
Marine life and season
- Seals & sea lions
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Montague Island: Seal numbers peak May–Oct when the colony is fullest; summer brings warmer, clearer water from the East Australian Current.
Dive videos
Diving with the seal colony at Montague Island · sarah handebeaux on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is the Montague Island seal colony dived from a boat?+
Yes. The dive runs from an anchored boat, with most of the seals lying on the surface within 20 metres of it and the water below mostly three to 15 metres deep.
Sources
- The best diving sites in NSW — Destination NSW
- Narooma Charters scuba diving — Narooma Charters / Destination NSW
Photo credits
Similar dives elsewhere
Nature-reserve island with wobbegongs in the rocks and stingrays on the sand
The southernmost reef where plate coral grows this thickly
A training-depth bay with a reef regrowing after Cyclone Debbie
A 10-22 m reef of overhangs and swim-throughs