Cook Island (North Wall, Mary's Rock, Fido's Reef, Coral Gardens, Bullseye Alley, Nine Mile Reef)

Cook Island (Jungarra Ngarrian) is a rocky outcrop 600m off Fingal Head in northern NSW, protected as a marine sanctuary and widely regarded as one of Australia's best snorkelling and dive sites. The waters around the island host a constellation of named sites — North Wall, Mary's Rock, Coral Gardens, Bullseye Alley, Fido's Reef and Nine Mile Reef — ranging from shallow boulder gardens to deeper offshore ledges. Green sea turtles are the marquee attraction, often seen resting on the wall and being cleaned by surgeonfish. Leopard sharks gather over summer, wobbegongs lurk under ledges, and grey nurse sharks visit Nine Mile Reef in winter. The rocky terrain is smothered in hard and soft corals, sponges and gorgonians, with reef fish, stingrays, eagle rays, and even passing humpback whales (July–September). A true all-weather spot that delivers year-round.