Point Peron Snorkel
LOCATION Shoalwater Island Marine Park, Rockingham in Western Australia
DEPTH 1-8 Meters
WATER TEMP 18-24 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Easy – Advanced
Beginner to advanced, outer portion of reef can have swell and surge, deep water.
FEATURE
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Point Peron Snorkel
LOCATION Shoalwater Island Marine Park Rockingham in Western Australia
DEPTH 1-8 Meters
WATER TEMP 18-24 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Easy – Advanced
Beginner to advanced, outer portion of reef can have swell and surge, deep water.
FEATURE
Point Peron Snorkel
Point Peron, located in Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, Western Australia, is a prime snorkeling spot for all levels. Beginners will love the sheltered central bay with its seagrass, fish, and crustaceans. Advanced snorkelers can explore limestone formations, hidden octopuses, sharks and rays in deeper waters.
What Can I See?
- Seals
- Dolphins
- Sea Lions
- Sharks
- Stingrays
- Octopus
- Fish
- Crustaceans & Sea Urchins
- Weedy Seadragons
Getting There
A 2wd car will get you to the carpark at Point Peron, its bitumen all the way. Rockingham is approx. 50 minutes south of Perth in Western Australia. Look for the turn off to the left as you drive along Point Peron Road. You pass a couple of smaller car parks before reaching the car park closest to the water
Where & How do you get in?
Immediately below the carpark is some steps down to the little sandy bay. There is a concrete path up to the observation deck and there are dirt paths to the two neighbouring beaches.
The central bay is sandy with limestone rocks surrounding it creating a bit of a channel to swim through.
Beginners can stay close to shore and follow the snorkel trail and explore the seagrass reef, kelp and rocky swim throughs. It gets a little deeper as you venture out a bit further, 3-6m and includes the sandy bay for rays, weed and kelp where you can find weedy seadragons.
The outer reef and bay is for advanced snorkellers only. In open water of 7+ meters and home to hammerhead, bronze whaler, bull and other sharks. Must be shark aware and confident swimmer as you will be up to 1km off shore.
Best Season
Best season is in the warmer summer months, Dec-March where the water temp stays above 20°c.
Potential Hazards
- Be aware of protruding or shallow rocks at low tide.
- Be Shark Aware, don’t splash and always swim with others.
How Busy / Crowds
- It is a popular spot in the summer months, so best to get here early to get a carpark.
Parking
- The close carpark can fill up during peak time mid-late morning however there is more parking only a short walk.
Costs / Permits
- Entry to the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is free
The information for each snorkel spot is provided by people who have snorkelled there. However, snorkelling conditions change daily. Please be aware that wind, swell, tides and cloud cover can all affect visibility and your experience in the water.
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Best Conditions
The bay is most protected from Northerly and Easterly winds. Recommended time is from 7-9am and look for swell less than 1m and wind less than 10km/ph. The outer reef protects the coastline for beginner snorkellers close to shore.
Windy Map Instructions – Click on the wind icon in the top right to see other conditions such as swell, temperature, rain. To clear the four day forecast click and close the wind icon.
Facilities at Point Peron
There is a coffee van in the carpark during busy seasons, 6:30am to midday Wednesday to Sunday. Showers and toilets are available at the nearby Point Peron Boat Ramp.
Toilets
Shower
Parking
Food & Drinks
Boat Ramp
About the Snorkel
Point Peron is a wonderful place to snorkel for beginner and advanced snorkellers.
From the west carpark you will find 3 sandy bays, the central one straight down the steps offers a sheltered entry/exit point for you to begin your adventure. Straight out from the bay you will find seagrass and kelp which is home to an array juvenile fish, cow fish and pufferfish, schooling fish that swim around you and many crustaceans. We even saw a few nudibranchs while snorkeling.
As you swim, either left or right along the coastline, the limestone rocks produce spectacular peaks and valleys to explore and lots of rocky ledges for creatures to hide under. At 3-5m you can find octopus and weedy seadragons camoflaged in the kelp and weed, so keep your eyes peeled. There is a large sandy bay about 60m off shore and slightly to the left as you head out where you can encounter different species of rays, both small and large stingrays as well as the passing eagle ray.
For those more adventurous, the reef stretching out from the western point have some amazing swim throughs as well as larger fish, but check wind and swell conditions as there can be a bit of surge and waves in this area.
Out beyond the yellow marine buoy is open water 7+m deep which is known to have passing dolphins and seals, however this is for ADVANCED SNORKELLERS as its up to 1km off shore and schools of hammerhead sharks, bronze whaler or other less friendly sharks are known to frequent the area. Be shark aware, don’t splash and always swim with others.
The shallows are great for a quick dip and a beginners treat. If you’re after adventure to see the more elusive creatures, the hours can quickly pass you by.
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