Locals call Port Phillip “The Bay”, and as it covers 1,930 square kilometers and is home to an almost unbelievable variety of life, it is easy to understand how to some, there could be no better place on earth. With the deepest portion being just 24 meters, and much of the bay being quite a lot shallower than that, it is home to some of Australia’s easiest and most scenic dive sites. Ready? Let’s go!
Portsea Pier
One of Victoria’s best shore dives, Portsea Pier is a fabulous place to look for macro life and temperate fish, both day and night. Located off the beach at Weroona Bay on the tip of the Mornington Peninsula, the waters beneath the pier are a great place to find curious looking Weedy Seadragons, as well as colonies of cleaner shrimp, and a wide array of other critters. Maximum depth is just 5 meters, and you can dive here just about any time you want to.
Portsea Hole
Once part of the old Yarra River, the Portsea Hole, which is located about 500 meters off the Portsea Pier, features a vertical wall about 75 meters long, which descends first to 27 meters, then drops off into a sandy basin at 33 meters.
The wall itself is perfectly lovely; with wreaths of soft coral and swathes of sponge growth, it hosts a variety of invertebrates. Atop the wall, gorgeous rock bommies attract even more fish, and beneath the overhangs that emerge from it, you’ll find all kinds of fish, particularly blue devils. The top of the hole is at just 12 meters, making this site very popular with newer divers.
Pope’s Eye
During the 1880’s, authorities came up with the idea of building a fort on a man-made island, out in the middle of Port Phillip Bay. They poured bluestone in a circle along a sandbank, forming an artificial reef with a center just two meters deep, before they abandoned the project due to advances in technology that allowed the port to be defended by guns situated at Swan Island and other forts nearby. Today, the area is home to a plethora of fish and invertebrates, and is a great place to encounter Australian Fur Seals and dolphins.
Shortland Bluff
A well-travelled stretch of water since the 1830’s, the area known as Shortland Bluff has been home to three different lighthouses in its time, and was originally known as Whale Head. Pilot boats used to travel back and forth, escorting the ships that used to carry gold from the Australian gold rush, and today, numerous charters travel the same waters. Perhaps that is one reason why there is so much old junk littering the bottom! Very old bottles and other debris hide small creatures, and there are plenty of old anchors to find. Maximum depth here is 21 meters, with lots of features at 14 meters. There are swimthroughs, lovely walls, and bommies, all of which attract fish and which are covered in sponge and soft coral.
Kelp Beds Drift
A spectacular Macrocysts Kelp Forest grows in Lonsdale Bight, between Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale, and is best dived as a drift during flood tide. Beautiful kelp-filtered light plays along the bottom, which is a mix of sandstone and sand, where you’ll find abalone and rock lobsters. Watch for yellowtail kingfish during the summer months, and don’t be surprised if seals join you on this dive. Maximum depth is 21 meters, and all you need to experience it is an Open Water certificate.
To enjoy these wonderful dive sites, all you need to do is choose one of the local dive operators, and schedule your trip. This area is more popular with locals than it is with tourists, so booking is normally a snap!