Explore Victoria

Diving in Victoria, the smallest state in Australia, offers an enchanting underwater adventure for both novice and experienced divers. Nestled where the Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea, and Indian Ocean converge, Victoria is a biodiversity hotspot teeming with marine life. From the striking rocky outcrops of Phillip Island to the mysterious shipwrecks along the Shipwreck Coast, the variety of dive environments is impressive. Whether exploring vibrant reefs, drifting through kelp forests, or charting a course over historic wrecks, each dive promises new wonders.

Victoria's temperate waters provide a playground for marine enthusiasts, with typical sightings including playful dolphins, curious fur seals, and the iconic weedy sea dragons. The region’s liveaboard options and local dive centers, particularly around Melbourne, Geelong, and the Mornington Peninsula, ensure easy access to these aquatic wonders. Seasonal highlights like the winter migration of humpback whales add to the allure, making Victoria a compelling destination for divers seeking both adventure and serenity beneath the waves.

Places to Explore

Philip Island

A 90-minute drive from Melbourne is Phillip Island, one of the most popular day-trip destinations for city-dwellers. Located in Victoria, Phillip Island offers surf and scuba diving along a rugged coastline with the chance to witness the largest Australian fur seal colony in Southern Australia. The underwater topography of Phillip Island features pinnacles, swim-throughs, and overhangs while entering by shore finds divers among a myriad of macro creatures.

Mornington Peninsula

10 Divesites 2 Centers

Mornington Peninsula has some of the best beaches across Southern Australia. Located on the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, avid divers come to the area to dive over sixty incredible wrecks, extraordinary vertical wall dives, and shallow sites with an abundance of marco life. With such a range of sites, from calm to those with ripping currents, Mornington Peninsula diving is accessible for divers of all levels whether you’re planning your first dive or are a seasoned veteran.

Melbourne

3 Divesites 5 Centers

Melbourne is Australia’s capital of culture and is fast gaining recognition among divers as a frontier to be explored. Melbourne’s rich maritime history has led to more than 800 ships coming to rest on Victoria’s sandy seafloors and an incredible wealth of long-lost treasures for divers to discover. In Melbourne’s temperate waters, delight in kelp forests with the weedy sea dragon, steep drop-offs, and drift dives, all with the chance of spotting the resident fur seals or visiting dolphins and humpback whales.

Geelong

Geelong, located south-west of Melbourne in Victoria, shares much of the same diving territory as Mornington Peninsula. Situated on Port Phillip Bay, the area is now well known as ‘The Shipwreck Coast’ with over sixty wrecks and submarines to explore. Home to spectacular wall dives and drifts, experienced divers have a range of dive sites to choose from, with the potential of being accompanied by fur seals, dolphins and even the extraordinary humpback whale!

Upcoming Events

Diver Level Programs / Courses

ADRENO MELBOURNE

Open Water Diver

14 Nov 2025

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

SCUBABO

Wreck Diving

22 Nov 2025

Many of the ocean’s best dive sites are wrecks. These impressive structures attract unusually high densities of marine life and give you the chance to immerse in living history as you dive. There is nothing quite like wreck diving and the SSI Wreck Diving specialty will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to become a safe and confident wreck diver. With a combination of academic and confined water sessions, you will be taught how to safely conduct non-penetration dives around wrecks and artificial reefs, up to a depth of 30 meters. You will also get to practice your wreck diving skills during open water training dives. All of which will ensure you can enjoy wreck diving with confidence and get the most out of every dive. Upon completion of this program, you will earn your SSI Wreck Diving specialty certification. Continue your adventures and become a wreck diver. Get started online today!

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★☆ Blairgowrie Pier

Blairgowrie Pier is located in Camerons Bight on the southern shore of Port Philip between Sorrento and Rye, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. There is so much to see in this constantly changing, colorful environment across all of the different habitat types.

3,053
Logs
814
Divers
6.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Popes Eye

Pope’s Eye is a sandy shoal with a partially completed bluestone fortification called the Annulus. It was to be the foundation of an island fort in the 1880’s to protect the bay.

1,695
Logs
1,012
Divers
10.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ Flinders Pier

Flinders Pier is the perfect alternative when Port Phillip is blown out due to northerly winds. This site is protected from these winds and is best dived during high tide. There is very little depth at low tide.

842
Logs
355
Divers
5.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro

★★★★☆ Rye Pier

Rye Pier is an L-shaped pier approximately 500 meters long. It was built in 1860 to service the lime trade. The pier points North-Northeast so it is not diveable in strong northerly winds. A long walk to the lower landing located 50 meters from the end of the pier. Much better dive at night as more things come out then.

2,928
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666
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6.0 m
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7.0 m
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Mares

★★★★☆ Portsea Hole

Portsea Hole is about 500m from the Portsea Pier and is a remnant of the old Yarra River. The top of the hole is at 14m and to the north there is a vertical wall approximately 75m(250ft) long which drops to sand at 27m (90ft), then into a sand bowl which bottoms at 33m(110ft).

764
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490
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ Lonsdale Bommies

Discovered and named by one of the great local diving legends, this dive site is spectacular. Approximately 1 kilometer from the Point Lonsdale Light and clear of the shipping channel, just outside Port Phillip Heads, is an amazing area of bommies, or underwater rock formations.

288
Logs
188
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
10.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

★★★★☆ Foggy Reef

Foggy Reef sits at the southern-most end of the Lonsdale wall system. The top of the wall is a great dive for beginners as it is around 8 meters deep. If you swim northeast you will find the edge of the wall. This site is part of the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park.

62
Logs
48
Divers
23.0 m
⌀ Depth
11.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro

★★★★☆ Castle Rock

Castle Rock is located outside the Port Phillip Heads in approximately 18 metres of water. It sits on a sandy bottom and rises to around 12 metres. The rock is around 200m in circumference, has many overhangs, walls and swimthroughs, and can be circled several times in a dive.

271
Logs
232
Divers
18.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro

★★★★☆ The Plateau

This is a dive in the middle of the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park. The plateau is a huge rocky platform in around the 16-meter range winding its way around the edge of the platform. This is the deepest water in Victoria, originally part of the river Yarra.

17
Logs
16
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ Eliza Ramsden, wreck

Constructed in Glasgow Scotland in 1874 for Samuel Ramsden of Melbourne and named after his wife, this ship cost 10,000 pounds. She was a three-masted iron barque 151 ft long and 27 ft wide with a gross tonnage of 415 tons. The vessel sunk in 1875 on her first voyage out of Melbourne when she struck Corsair rock.

41
Logs
35
Divers
20.0 m
⌀ Depth
10.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★★ Devil’s Dropoff

Devil’s Drop Off is one of the Melbourne’s most popular dive sites onits famous Lonsdale Wall. Devil’s Drop Off begins with a large drop-off from around 12 to 30 metres and continues with many ledges, overhangs and swim throughs.

131
Logs
96
Divers
26.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

★★★★☆ Spectacular Reef

Spec Reef (aka Spectacular Reef) is part of the former Yarra River bed and lies in the South Channel, Port Phillip, Victoria. It is, therefore, subject to shipping traffic. The area is quite large and offers many different dive sites.

40
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34
Divers
26.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ Captain Nitros' Drop-off

The Drop-off is located on the western end of Spectacular Reef, and consists of a series of walls thatplunge to over 60 meters in 5-10m increments. This makes it a great dive for all levels. Huge boulders the size of houses are scattered over the area, lying where the ancient Yarra River deposited them.

16
Logs
14
Divers
32.0 m
⌀ Depth
11.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ Boarfish Reef

Situated in the famous Sponge Gardens, Boarfish Reef lies approximately halfway between Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale. It starts in approximately 10 metres of water and gradually increases in depth to around 22 metres in a system of interesting rock formations and overhangs and swim-throughs.

830
Logs
570
Divers
18.0 m
⌀ Depth
10.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares, Janez Kranjc

★★★★☆ The Grotto

The Grotto is named after the many small caves and large overhangs that form this site. Located on top of the Lonsdale Wall system, this area is teeming with marine life and a photographers dream. This site gradually increases in depth to around 23 metres in a system of interesting rock formations and overhangs.

613
Logs
372
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
11.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in Victoria

Victoria, Australia, offers a plethora of exciting dive sites attracting enthusiasts worldwide. One of the most notable wreck dives is the "HMAS Canberra," a purpose-sunk ex-naval ship that provides an artificial reef teeming with marine life. Divers can explore its intricate structures and discover vibrant fish species and fascinating invertebrates. For those preferring shore dives, the "Portsea Pier" is popular, featuring easy accessibility and a chance to spot weedy sea dragons and nudibranchs.

Night dives in Victoria provide unique underwater experiences, especially at "Blairgowrie Pier," where nocturnal marine life becomes active, offering divers a different perspective. Additionally, the balance between shore dives and liveaboard diving options caters to all preferences, with the latter offering extended trips to remote sites like the "Ex-HMAS Canberra." Whether diving from shore or a boat, Victoria promises memorable encounters and diverse underwater adventures.

The best Months to dive in Victoria

Victoria offers diverse diving conditions throughout the year, benefiting from its temperate maritime climate. Divers can enjoy water temperatures ranging from 10°C–16°C/50°F–61°F. During the summer, waters are warmer, inviting more divers, while the cooler winter months might require additional thermal protection. Visibility in Victoria typically ranges from 5 to 15 meters/16 to 49 feet, depending on the season and location. Weather factors like wind and currents significantly impact diving conditions, with summer and fall generally providing calmer seas. Diving is feasible year-round, though spring can bring unpredictable weather patterns, making it a less favorable period for diving expeditions.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

ADRENO MELBOURNE

1186 Nepean Highway, 3192 CHELTENHAM, VIC - AUS

Drifters Freediving

345 Park Street, South Melbourne, 3205 Melbourne, VIC - AUS

The Scuba Dive Shop aka The Scuba Doctor Dive Shop

49 PENINSULA AVENUE, 3941 RYE, VIC - AUS

MIDSTATE DIVE

P.O Box 421, 3616 TATURA, VIC - AUS

SALT SESSIONS FREEDIVING

6 Kemp Street, 3158 Upwey, VIC - AUS

AQUATIC ADVENTURES

2/21 Viewtech Place, 3178 ROWVILLE, VIC - AUS

SCUBA CULTURE

2/121 Highbury Road, 3125 Burwood, VIC - AUS

SCUBABO

37 Learmonth Street, 3225 QUEENSCLIFF, VIC - AUS