Articles > Diving the Solitary Islands

It's hard to say at precisely what point The Big Banana lost its status as tourism icon for the NSW north coast, but its slide into cultural obscurity probably coincided with the demise of the thin leather tie. These days, a visit to Coffs Harbour is more likely to yield tales of star-spotting (maximum points for a sighting of Russell Crowe and/or Daniele) than photos of your friends in front of the Big Yellow Thingy, but happily, the very things that have been luring the Beautiful People to the region – superb climate, unspoilt beaches and lush hinterland – are available to the rest of us too. And among the many natural attractions of the Coffs Harbour region are two unheralded gems: diving the Solitary Islands Marine Park and kayaking in Bongil Bongil National Park.

At Jetty Dive, owner Mike Davey was clearly appalled by my admission that, despite being a keen diver and a New South Welshman, I’d never so much as heard of the Solitary Islands Marine Park. I further confessed that most of my dives in Australian waters had been on the Great Barrier Reef. “The diving’s pretty good up there”, he conceded, “but I reckon it’s better here”. As Mike told it, the unique feature of the Solitary Islands is that this is where the warm East Australian Current (prominently featured in the hit film Finding Nemo) meets colder currents that flow north from the Tasman Sea. As a result, these waters are able to support tropical species such as corals, anemones and turtles alongside coldwater fish like bream, leatherjacket and the endangered grey nurse shark.

The dive boat headed first for Split Solitary Island, where our day began in tropical mode as we encountered several anemones and their inhabitant clownfish – endearing little fellows who guard their homes fiercely and are not above giving the fingers of nosey divers a cheeky nip. The presence of electric blue wrasse, parrotfish and a green turtle appeared to confirm that we were indeed in the tropics, until soft corals gave way to barren rocks under which hid small schools of morwong, bream and an occasional grouper – all typically found in colder waters. Tropical and temperate marine worlds were interchangeable in this way throughout the entire dive, a strange and thoroughly captivating experience.

After clambering back on board, we weighed anchor and chugged north to Southwest Solitary Island, notable for its fringing gardens of hard plate corals. Sheltering among them were all manner of temperate fish species, as well as some of the biggest wobbegong sharks I’ve seen – up to six feet in length. Most of the marine life here reflected a coldwater environment, but then a pair of Moorish idols drifted into view. The striking yellow and black markings and distinctive dorsal wands on these fish are a common enough sight on the Great Barrier Reef, but they seemed oddly out of context here, in close proximity to big grey rocks instead of coral reefs. As we rode the swells back to the harbour, I could already picture the smug smile on Mike Davey’s face when I declared myself the latest recruit to the Solitary Islands fan club.

Day Two of my Coffs Harbour adventure dawned grey and muggy, with the prospect of having more fun while getting wet, this time in Bongil Bongil National Park. I was to meet Bob Palmer, my guide and kayaking buddy for the afternoon, at a tiny boat ramp near the village of Sawtell. He showed up alone, and as several peals of thunder announced themselves it was not hard to see why. A southerly blow had been brewing all morning and as the first drops of rain splattered onto the roof of Bob’s van, it was clear we were about to be faced with less than ideal kayaking conditions.

Within moments it was raining the way it does on the NSW north coast, like swimming pools falling from the sky. Kayaking was not to be, so we drove instead to the next boat landing from where I was able to spy out the route along Bonville Creek as it snakes its way through the national park, before widening into an estuary that flows into the sea. The creek looked to have been made for paddling – a broad, placid waterway hemmed in by bird-filled eucalypts and dotted with mangrove clumps that provide shelter for spawning fish. Having parked the van once more near the mouth of the estuary, Bob pointed out some sandy flats where stingrays congregate, while a trio of pelicans sailed serenely back and forth between the dunes. The weather gods had scuppered our kayaking plans, but an afternoon paddle through Bongil Bongil National Park remains high on my agenda for a return visit.

So while celebrities will undoubtedly continue to colonise the place (thereby raising property prices while simultaneously lowering the neighbourhood tone), it’s comforting to think that Coffs Harbour will continue to appeal as a holiday destination for the same reasons it always has – access to myriad natural treasures like the Solitary Islands. And fans of the Big ‘Nana need not despair either - kitsch it may be, but I’m reliably informed it’s still the place to stop for a top-notch banana smoothie.

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