NEW ZEALAND DIVING
Unit 2, 9/23 Morrison Drive, 0910 Warkworth, New Zealand
Explore Warkworth
Warkworth, a town on the Northland Peninsula of the North Island, offers dive charters to some of the best dive locations in New Zealand. While scuba diving in Warkworth it is possible to explore several marine reserves including the Poor Knights Islands – noted by Jacques Costeau as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world – as well as several wrecks. Impenetrable walls of schooling fish, manta rays, hammerhead sharks as well as orca can be witnessed!
Warkworth diving is possible from the only dive centre in the area, which offers charters and liveaboards to a wide variety of locations in New Zealand. The dive centre offers dive courses to novices as well as experienced professionals, training everyone including sports and technical divers.
Dive Activity
Diving in Warkworth
While Warkworth diving, delve into New Zealand’s first marine reserve, Goat Island, which is ideal for novice divers and a site where try dives and dive courses are often held. On Hauraki Gulf, visit the kelp forests and sub-tropical environment of Little Barrier and Great Barrier Island in search of hammerhead sharks while there are some incredible wreck dives found at Great Barrier Island as well as close by to the Poor Knights Islands. Sites such as Sail Rock on the Hen and Chicken Islands are ideal for technical divers who want to head deeper.
Dive Centers
Dive Sites
The best Months to Dive in Warkworth
Warkworth is located in the North Island which is New Zealand’s warmest region and has two distinct seasons underwater. In the summer, between November and April, the water temperature can reach 20°C–23°C/68°F–73°F yet visibility is at its lowest due to plankton blooms. However, it is the best time to see stingrays and orca. In the winter, between May and September, the water temperature drops to 14°C–16°C/57°F–61°F and the visibility improves, reaching 30 meters/98 feet. If you plan to witness hammerhead sharks in the Hauraki Gulf, dive from mid-January to March.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Warkworth
As many of the islands in the Hauraki Gulf are fed by the East Auckland Current, the area sees a diversity of both tropical and temperate fish. Exploring the Great Barrier and Little Barrier Island’s, hammerhead sharks can be seen migrating. During the summer months at the Poor Knights Islands, giant schools of blue maomao, sea turtles, orcas and manta ray can be witnessed while groupers also visit. Dolphins can be seen during the journey to and from dive sites and there is a wealth of nudibranch, crayfish and invertebrates on volcanic rocks. Fur seals are often seen in the area.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 25
iStock/Juliosanjuan
Eagle Ray
39 Sightings
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2
F
20
M
3
A
0
M
8
J
0
J
0
A
0
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0
O
0
N
1
D
5
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
Octopus
28 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
0
A
12
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
4
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
12
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 90
Shutterstock-Levent Konuk
Goatfish
246 Sightings
J
46
F
32
M
29
A
23
M
0
J
14
J
5
A
2
S
12
O
18
N
15
D
50
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 110
iStock-Rainer von Brandis
Snapper
156 Sightings
J
45
F
21
M
23
A
17
M
0
J
8
J
0
A
2
S
1
O
0
N
14
D
25
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 7000
iStock-Michael Zeigler
Crab
57 Sightings
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1
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0
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0
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0
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0
J
1
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0
A
11
S
5
O
0
N
11
D
28
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 80
iStock/Extreme-Photographer
Stingrays
21 Sightings
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5
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
11
N
2
D
0
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 3000
SSI-Peter-Schinck
Nudibranch
20 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
4
A
4
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0
O
0
N
0
D
12
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 300
Shutterstock_DiveIvanov
Squid
11 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
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0
O
0
N
0
D
11
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species approx.: 60
iStock-Global_Pics
Spiny Lobster
10 Sightings
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0
F
1
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
1
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0
O
1
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0
D
5
AdobeStock_Sean
Lion’s Mane Jellyfish
7 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
7
N
0
D
0