The Hairy Wall is a spectacular granite drop-off running parallel with Governor Island in the Governor Island Marine Reserve off Bicheno, North East Tasmania. Named for the extraordinary forest of sea whips, gorgonian fans, and colourful sponge outcrops that cloak its steep rock face, this site plunges from around 15m down to 40m on a sandy seafloor. Moderate currents flush the wall, often delivering excellent visibility, while the invertebrate-encrusted ledges host basket stars, nudibranchs, and large lobsters. One of Tasmania's most celebrated temperate dive sites, it's also a stunning drift snorkel for adventurous explorers.
The Hairy Wall
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Wave Height 0.8 mSwell Period 6.8 sWind Speed 2.6 knPrecipitation 2.0 mmTidal Phase ebb
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Moderate risk: Rapid depth drop-off
The wall descends steeply from 15m to over 40m; it is easy to descend beyond safe snorkelling depth without realising.
Moderate risk: Moderate currents
Flushing currents that improve visibility can also sweep snorkelers away from the wall and beyond the marine reserve boundary.
Low risk: Cold water temperature
Temperate Tasmanian waters range from 12-18°C year-round, posing a risk of rapid hypothermia without appropriate wetsuit protection.
Low risk: Boat traffic
The site is accessed by boat and lies on the eastern side of Governor Island where dive boats operate regularly; snorkelers need a surface marker.
Low risk: Swell exposure
The east-facing wall is exposed to prevailing ocean swells that can create surge conditions, particularly along the rock face.
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Getting in
Boat
Entry
The Hairy Wall lies on the eastern side of Governor Island, approximately 1.5 km offshore from Bicheno on Tasmania's east coast. It is accessible only by boat — a number of dive operators including Go Dive Tasmania and Bicheno Dive Centre run trips from Bicheno's boat ramp or jetty. The site is within the Governor Island Marine Reserve.
Parking & facilities
Parking is available at the Bicheno boat ramp and at nearby street parking on The Esplanade, Bicheno.
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Access is via chartered boat dive or snorkel tour; fees vary by operator (typically AUD $80-150 per person for a two-tank dive trip). No entry fee for the marine reserve itself.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports