The Tollgate Islands, rising from the mouth of Batemans Bay, are a protected sanctuary within Batemans Marine Park and one of the last remaining strongholds for Grey Nurse sharks on the NSW South Coast. These twin rock islands sit about 1 km offshore, surrounded by deep reefs, gutters, and bommies that drop into clear oceanic water. Accessible only by boat or a very long kayak paddle (around 12 km round-trip), the reward is world-class snorkelling over sponge-encrusted boulders, dramatic swim-throughs, and the chance to encounter Grey Nurses, eagle rays, and schools of kingfish in near-pristine conditions.
The Tollgate
AdvancedMAYBE
MAYBE
Fair. Experienced snorkellers only.
Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.0 mSwell Period 0.0 sWind Speed 0.3 knPrecipitation 12 mmTidal Phase ebb
Last evaluated
DANGER: Explicit Risks Present
The Tollgate has hazards marked as danger. Entering the water here means you may face serious risks to your personal safety.
- Remote location danger
No beach landing; boat/kayak access only. Strong winds can make the return paddle treacherous for kayakers.
The spot
Community-maintained
Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
Know before you go
Logged by the community, confirmed by mods
High risk: Remote location
No beach landing; boat/kayak access only. Strong winds can make the return paddle treacherous for kayakers.
Moderate risk: Strong ocean currents
The islands sit in the mouth of Batemans Bay, exposed to the Tasman Sea with ripping tidal flows through the channel between the two islands.
Moderate risk: Swell exposure
Open ocean swells can wrap around the islands, creating surging conditions over shallow reef shelves with little shelter.
Low risk: Boat traffic
The islands are a popular dive site, and the channel sees moderate boat traffic including charter vessels and local fishing boats.
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Getting in
Boat
Entry
The Tollgate Islands are located about 1 km off the coast of Batemans Bay, NSW. Access is by private boat, charter dive/snorkel tour, or kayak (approx. 6 km each way from Batemans Bay foreshore). Local operators such as Beneath the Bay run tours.
Parking & facilities
Park at the Batemans Bay foreshore car parks or at the public boat ramp off Clyde Street. No parking is available at the islands themselves.
toiletsparkingboat_ramp
No fees for the marine park entry. Charter tours vary (approx. $80–$150 per person).
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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