Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is a flooded granite quarry near the settlement of Novo-Ozeryanka in the Olevsk urban community of Korosten District, Zhytomyr Region, Ukraine. A lake covering approximately 14.6 hectares formed at the site of former mining operations. It is surrounded by forests, with granite walls and a maximum depth of up to 26 meters.
Today, people come here for fishing, swimming, camping and diving. What makes the quarry particularly different from ordinary bodies of water is its underwater landscape: sections of a flooded young forest remain underwater, while granite walls extend for hundreds of meters in some areas.
This is not a developed tourist complex or an official beach. There are no cafés, equipment rental facilities, lifeguard stations or other full-scale infrastructure on the shore. The location is therefore better suited to an independent trip into nature than to a conventional beach holiday.
Where Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is located
The quarry is located near Novo-Ozeryanka, a settlement that emerged in the early 1960s alongside the development of the local industrial complex. Novo-Ozeryanka is part of the Olevsk urban community.
The quarry is surrounded by Polissia forests, so the final part of the route does not follow urban roads. The main landmark when traveling here is Novo-Ozeryanka itself.
History of Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry
The history of this location is directly connected with granite mining. Development of the local stone deposit began as early as 1949.
In the 1960s, an industrial complex known as the Ozeryansky Plant of Reinforced Concrete Hydraulic Structures was established on the basis of the deposit. The development of this enterprise was closely connected with the emergence and subsequent growth of Novo-Ozeryanka. The Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine also states that the settlement appeared in the early 1960s at the same time as the construction of the plant, which was established on the basis of the Olevsk stone quarry.
After the former industrial operations ceased, the excavated area gradually filled with water. This is how the industrial excavation was transformed into the body of water now known as Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry.
At the same time, it would be incorrect to describe the entire industrial area as completely abandoned: enterprises connected with the local industrial base are still registered in Novo-Ozeryanka.
What Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is like today
The body of water covers approximately 14.64 hectares, while its maximum depth reaches 26 meters. It is a quartz-granite quarry with steep rocky slopes and an uneven underwater landscape.
Forests dominate the area around the water. The shores have not been turned into one continuous beach area, so conditions for reaching the water vary from one section to another.
One of the quarry's distinctive features is its underwater forest. After the quarry was flooded, some of the trees remained underwater and have become one of its main attractions for divers. Granite walls and traces of former stone extraction can also be seen on the bottom and underwater.
What visitors say
According to visitor reviews, Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry has beautiful scenery and clear water, and on weekdays it can be possible to enjoy the area almost alone. At the same time, the most common complaints concern litter along the shores and in recreation areas. Visitors also note that access is via an unpaved forest road and that there are relatively few convenient places to reach the water, with most of the shoreline not adapted for easy access. There are places suitable for tents, although the condition of individual areas depends heavily on where exactly you choose to stay. Some reviews mention algae blooms and spots on the water surface, but these are individual observations by visitors, not a confirmed characteristic of the entire body of water.
Water depth and temperature
The maximum depth of Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is approximately 26 meters. For a body of water of this size, this is considerable depth and has a noticeable effect on water temperature.
According to descriptions from diving research, a pronounced temperature change, or thermocline, begins at approximately 7 meters. Water temperature may vary between different layers from around 18°C to 6°C.
This temperature difference is one of the reasons why the quarry is of interest to divers.
Diving
Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is known among diving enthusiasts. Unlike bodies of water where the underwater landscape consists mainly of the bottom and rocky slopes, this quarry contains a flooded forest and granite walls.
The underwater landscape varies depending on the area. There are vertical and sloping granite walls, deeper sections of the quarry and submerged trees. Some descriptions of the location mention hundreds of meters of granite walls.
At the same time, there is no equipped diving center on the shore. Visitors need to bring their own equipment, tanks and everything else required for diving.
For an ordinary visitor, this means one simple thing: Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is interesting for diving because of its natural and industrial underwater landscape, rather than because of any tourist services.
Fishing
Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is also used for fishing. Available descriptions of the body of water mention perch, pike and catfish.
For anglers, this is primarily a large, deep body of water with an uneven underwater landscape and shoreline areas of different character.
There is no dedicated fishing base at the quarry. Fishing here is essentially a form of recreation at a wild, undeveloped body of water.
Can you swim here?
The quarry is used for summer swimming, but it is not an officially equipped beach. There is none of the usual infrastructure found at urban beaches, such as a lifeguard station, changing rooms, showers or equipment rental.
Because of its depth of up to 26 meters and steep granite shores, the body of water is very different from a shallow natural beach.
The most comfortable places for recreation are therefore areas with convenient access to the water and relatively level ground along the shore. Jumping from unknown cliffs into such a body of water is a bad idea, as the underwater landscape cannot be seen from the surface.
Camping
Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is suitable for wild camping. There are natural clearings near the water where visitors can pitch tents.
However, there is no organized campsite here. Visitors should not expect showers, electricity, toilets, cafés or a shop directly beside the water.
The format is simple: arrive with your own equipment, spend a day or several days by the water, and take all your waste with you when you leave.
How to get there
The most convenient way to reach Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is by car.
The main landmark is Novo-Ozeryanka. Local roads and forest access tracks lead from the settlement toward the quarry. The final section may be unpaved, so after rain the road can become more difficult for an ordinary passenger car.
There is no large tourist parking area or developed entrance zone near the quarry. Vehicles should be left in an accessible area near the recreation spot without blocking roads or access routes.
What is available on site
Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is a natural recreation area rather than a tourist complex.
- a body of water covering approximately 14.6 hectares;
- granite shores and walls;
- surrounding forest;
- natural recreation areas;
- access points to the water;
- places for tents;
- fishing opportunities;
- swimming opportunities;
- conditions suitable for diving.
There is no developed tourist infrastructure:
- no café or restaurant near the quarry;
- no equipment rental point;
- no diving center;
- no official beach services;
- no lifeguard station.
Access to the location is described in publicly available sources as free.
What to see nearby
Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is located in an area with several large flooded quarries.
The Dibrovske and Druzhbivske quarries are located nearby. They differ in size, depth and shoreline characteristics, so several bodies of water can be combined into one trip around the Olevsk area.
Novo-Ozeryanka itself is also of interest as a settlement whose history is directly connected with the local stone quarry and industrial production.
When to go
The warm season is the most suitable time for recreation by the water.
In summer, the quarry can be combined with swimming, fishing and overnight camping. For diving, not only air temperature but also water conditions and visibility are important.
After rain, some forest access roads can become more difficult, so it is worth taking the weather into account before traveling by car.
What to bring
Since there is no developed infrastructure on site, everything needed for recreation should be brought with you.
For a regular day trip, bring drinking water, food, insect repellent, sun protection, a towel and a change of clothes. For an overnight stay, you will need a tent, sleeping bag and other camping equipment.
Anglers should bring their own fishing gear, while divers need a complete set of equipment for diving.
It is also worth bringing garbage bags: everything you bring with you should be taken away after your visit.
Practical information
Type: flooded granite quarry
Water area: approximately 14.64 hectares
Maximum depth: approximately 26 m
Access: free
Admission fee: free
Fishing: yes
Fish mentioned: perch, pike, catfish
Swimming: used for recreation and swimming
Diving: yes
Camping: possible
Infrastructure: undeveloped
Nearest settlement: Novo-Ozeryanka
Novo-Ozeryansky Quarry is one of those Polissia locations where an industrial past has effectively become part of the modern natural landscape. There is no beach service or tourist complex here, but there is a deep granite body of water, forest, rocky shores and an underwater landscape with submerged trees. This is why people come here not for comfort, but for nature, fishing, camping and diving.
