Bushranger Bay Aquatic Reserve

There are twelve aquatic reserves in NSW with Bushrangers Bay Aquatic Reserve being the most southerly. It is a small rocky cove at the eastern end of Bass Point, approximately 4 km south of Shellharbour on the NSW south coast.

This aquatic reserve includes a variety of intertidal and subtidal habitats such as rocky ledges, crevices, rock pools, boulders and sandy floor. Red coralline algae grows in the shallows, giving way to kelp and other brown seaweeds in deeper water up to a depth of 18 m. Seagrass can be found scattered in the sandy areas. The diverse habitats support a wide variety of fish and invertebrates seeking shelter and foraging for food. In warmer months you can also see some tropical species.

Fish are abundant and varied. Many forage between the seagrass and the variety of other habitats, such as the iconic blue groper, southern Maori wrasse, red morwong, striped trumpeter and horseshoe and pygmy leatherjackets. Schooling species such as mado and eastern hula fish are regularly encountered. In the eastern section of the aquatic reserve in deeper water, greynurse sharks can often be seen cruising back and forth.

Bushrangers Bay is a 'no take' Aquatic Reserve, which means you are not permitted to catch, kill, interfere with or collect any marine animals or plants whether alive or dead (including empty shells as they can provide homes for other living things).

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