Jess Hill PADI Instructor & Marine Biologist in Sydney

About Jess

Jess Hill is a passionate PADI Instructor and marine biologist at Abyss Scuba Diving. Originally from the UK and now based in Sydney, Jess brings an educational and conservation-minded perspective to the courses and dives she leads.

She began diving during a backpacking trip to Australia in 2019 and has been exploring the underwater world ever since. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bangor University in Wales, she joined Abyss as a PADI Divemaster Intern to gain hands-on experience in dive leadership and marine education.

Today, Jess helps new divers develop confidence, supports continuing divers as they refine buoyancy and awareness, and leads marine-life-focused dives that help people better understand Sydney’s underwater environment.

Experience and qualifications

Jess combines formal marine biology training with practical PADI instruction. Her teaching is especially valuable for divers who want to understand not only how to dive safely, but also what they are seeing underwater and how to reduce their impact on sensitive marine environments.

Teaching philosophy

Jess believes every dive should teach you something new: about the ocean, your buoyancy, or yourself. Her calm approach helps students build practical confidence while developing a deeper appreciation for the marine environment.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than watching someone take their first breath underwater and realise how incredible our oceans truly are.”

Whether she is guiding a Learn to Dive course or a marine-life dive, Jess aims to help each diver leave the water more confident, more curious and more connected to the ocean.

Favourite Sydney dive sites

Jess’s favourite Sydney sites include The Steps at Kurnell, known for weedy seadragons, and Oak Park in Cronulla, where she often leads marine-life identification dives. She enjoys showing divers that Sydney’s shore diving can be rich, accessible and full of small discoveries.

• Explore Sydney dive sites
• View Marine Marvels Dives with Jess
• Check Sydney dive conditions

Notable certifications and achievements

Jess’s credentials reflect her combined focus on scuba instruction, marine biology, conservation and safe diver development.

Beyond the dive

When she is not underwater, Jess is often cataloguing marine species, contributing to citizen science projects, or developing educational content about sustainable diving. Her goal is to bridge marine biology and recreational diving so more divers become informed ambassadors for the sea.