State award proof of 'the right track' for South Coast business that (literally) went underwater

Few people can say their job gives them a chance to swim with sharks, but that’s the reality for two South Coast-based tradies.

Builders Michael and Tammy Bellette left land and launched Beneath the Bay, a dive business operating in Batemans Bay, late last year.

“Prior to the dive business, we actually had an urchin licence. We are catching sea urchins and processing them and selling them to Sydney,” Mr Bellette said.

“I was a bit bored in the water by myself – I pretty much came home and said to my wife, ‘I’d rather sell the sea urchin licence and do something different.'”

Now, the pair take customers out onto the waters for diving and snorkelling trips, as well as for whale watching trips.

Ms Bellette said “very docile sharks” near the Tollgate Islands together made just one of the attractions hidden under the waters people could see.

They take boat tours out to explore locations including the Tollgate Islands, Black Rock, Jimmy’s Island, the Burrewarra “Burri” Lighthouse.

“We’ve got so many different dive sites – the grey nurse sharks, and then they’ve also got swim-through caves, massive walls of just soft corals and stuff,” Mr Bellette said.

Beneath the Bay has also invited local school kids out to explore the waters, supported marine life surveys and helped to install a whale sounding device to track the animals.

For their work, the pair recently won the New Tourism Business category in the NSW Tourism Awards.

But before they could make the drive to Sydney for the awards night, they had to put in a lot of work first.

“The submission [to enter the competition] was a lot; it was overwhelming,” Ms Bellette said.

“I didn’t know what to expect – I was happy just to be named a finalist.”

Ms Bellette said that the shock win was a sign the business was “on the right track” with what it wanted to achieve.

“We can’t believe we actually won it. We didn’t even have a speech organised on the night,” Ms Bellette said.

“Seeing what had been achieved at the tourism awards – in all different categories – is definitely inspiring for Beneath the Bay to continue to grow.”

The pair had recently purchased another vessel in preparation for the return of warmer weather and school holiday visits to the coast.

But as the business closes in on its first birthday, Ms Bellette said she and her husband were still surprised by the response.

“We’ve been operating just 12 months, and the number of people that we’ve met through Beneath the Bay – and throughout the dive community – has been so enjoyable,” she said.

“We have a great team around us and we’re so lucky in that respect.

“We’re builders through the week, but then the weekend comes around and we don’t feel like we’re really working.”

Beneath the Bay can be contacted by calling 0405 838 957 or by emailing [email protected].