The Nursery
Byron Bay · Australia
A flat sandy gutter system on the eastern side of Julian Rocks that acts as a sheltered resting habitat for juvenile and subadult grey nurse sharks during their winter aggregation. The gutters run at 16 to 20 metres, with a sandy floor and boulders providing shelter. The site gets its name from the proportion of smaller individuals — juveniles and sub-adults that congregate here while older adults rest in the main southern gutter. Eagle rays and shovelnose rays are regular company on the sand. Conditions are generally calmer than the main site faces, making it well suited to early-stage open water divers.
Conditions
Depth
10 to 22 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
19 to 26°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Vis (m) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Current | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Dusky Flathead
Last confirmed Dec 12, 2024 · 3 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Grey Nurse Shark
Last confirmed Jun 21, 2026 · 12 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Kingfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Bream
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Wobbegong Shark
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Sea Urchin
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Blue-ringed Octopus
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Feather Star
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear