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A satellite photo of Clifton Gardens	A map of Clifton Gardens Click to enlarge

Located on the northern side of Sydney Harbour just around from Bradleys Head and Taronga Zoo, Clifton Gardens can be accessed off Bradleys Head Road at Mosman. Turn into Thompson Street (the last street on the left before the Zoo and Sydney Harbour National Park) and then (almost straight) into David Street. A hairpin turn at the end of David Street brings you into Morella Road, Clifton Gardens. The picnic grounds themselves are at the bottom of the winding road that comes off Morella Road about 50 metres from the hairpin. An large parking area is provided and at night or late evening there will be no problem finding a spot. However, note that Mosman Council charges an exorbant fee for parking (I think on weekends it is up to $14 for more than two hours) and you get absolutely no facilities other than some dirty toilets and the shark net. There are not even barbecues that councils on the southern side of the Harbour provide free. However, at night (after 8 pm - it used to be 6 pm) you do not need to pay.

Three dives can be done in this area, although only one is really worthwhile. This dive is around the wharf and bathing enclosure. As indicated above, the dive only really becomes fulfilling when night has fallen. While the visibility here is never really more than fair, the night can give the keen diver a memorable dive with the highlight being the seahorses that frequent the area. I can almost guarantee that you will see at least a couple of seahorses on this dive, so if you have never seen one, dive Clifton Gardens. It is also the most reliable place I know to find anglerfish.

After gearing up it is a short easy walk from the parking area across the grassed area and down the wharf. Near the end of the wooden structure, part of the wharf steps down to the water level. An easy giant stride and you are in the water.

Because of the shallowness of the water on this dive, it is preferable to dive this site at high tide and if you are a bit light on lead, you might add some weight to keep you down at the end of the dive. At low water there can be as little as 2 metres of water over a large part of the dive route.

Once in the water, sink to the bottom where it is 8 to 10 metres deep. At the time of writing, a dumped trail bike was located straight below the entry point. Swim out around the end of the wharf and begin working your way back towards the shore. After 10 metres turn to the south and follow the 8 to 9 metre contour. Travel slowly, checking each piece of wood, rock and kelp for sealife. When you have been in the water for 20 minutes, turn to the west and gradually the depth will come up to 2 to 3 metres. Just before you reach the shark net you will go over a large area of kelp.

A striped anglerfish at the southern end of the net	Possibly the deadliest marine creature alive and only 150 mm high - this blue ringed octopus walked across the bottom

At the net go to your right and follow it all the way back to the main part of the wharf. Examine each pole along the way as you are certain to see seahorses on some of them. These are mostly White's seahorses, also known as the Sydney or common seahorse although you might see some big-bellied seahorses. At times there are huge holes in the net through which you can go and look at the abundant fishlife on the inside. However, as of January 2007, there is a relatively new net in place. This has been set inside the old net on the eastern side of the pool so that the growth and sea horses were able to remain in place.

When you reach the proper part of the wharf (where the depth is 3 to 4 metres), you can either turn to the right and go to the end of the wharf where you can exit back onto the steps, or you can go to the left and exit onto the beach.

A black anglerfish	Another striped anglerfish

An alternative to the above is to go back under the wharf examining every pylon. When you are again heading back towards the shore and when you reach the shark net again, follow it to the left (south). All along here there are sea horses. I have seen as many as five within a few inches of each other. As you go, keep an eye open for other interesting things like blue-ringed octopus. The net runs south for about 20 metres and then turns west for about 15 metres before again turning south (left). During times of poor visibility it can be difficult to actual figure out when the net changes direction.

Two Whites sea horses, one very pregnant	A decorator crab The yellow bit is the body

When you get to about 2 to 2.5 metres (at high tide), look on the sand for anglerfish. I have seen one here and it is said to be here almost all the time. There are said to be others along the net near the first corner you encountered. From here you can either go back the way you have come and then under the wharf back to the beach or go under the big gap in the net and cross the pool, exiting on the beach.

A great deal of the attraction of this dive is the macro life that is abundant under the wharf and bathing enclosure. Ideal for macro-photography, things to look for include cuttlefish, lined-dumpling squid, prickly and pygmy leatherjacket, moasic moray, crabs and small octopus. Other fishlife to be found here includes estuary catfish, snapper, bream, old wife, snakeskin and senator wrasse, rough and yellow-finned leatherjacket, blackspot and blue-spotted goatfish as well as black sole. If you look carefully on the pylons you will see the incredible decorator crab. These crabs look like sponges as they have large sponges growing on their shells. You will have to look very hard to see them.

A new nudibranch I had never seen before	A dwarf firefish

Another option is to go a short distance to the right (east) when you get back to the intersection of the wharf and pool and then return to the shore. This is the best option. The water very gradually gets shallower until it is only one metre deep and you must stand up and walk out. Visibility is never very good on this dive. On a dive here in January 2002, we had only one metre visibility at high tide but it was still interesting!