Melbourne Pier Dive Sites

The Best Victorian Pier Dives

Rye Pier – Depth: 3 – 5m

Rye pier is arguably one of the most exciting pier dives on the Mornington Peninsula. The local residents include three species of seahorses, many different species of octopus, amazing soft corals and sponges. There are hundreds of different species of marine creatures including blennies, goatfish, gurnards, flounder, flathead, nudibranchs and even the occasional Moreton Bay Bug. With all this life it is also a spectacular (and easy!) night dive destination.

Another Great part of diving Rye Pier is the human-made Elsa’s Reef in about 7 meters of water, located directly of the end of the pier. A short swim out of about 50 meters just follow the pickets and line out to the reef. There is usually octopus all around this area, A Lion statue, Shopping Trolley and a bicycle to get a photo on, Concrete seats, Floor tiles, Pots and other structures and exciting things to find.

Make sure you have an SMB (Surface marker buoy) or a dive flag as there is usually a lot of boat traffic and jet skis above the dive site 

The pier is also home to Victoria’s first Underwater Marine Trail which is ideal for adults and children alike. Consisting of fourteen bright and easy to read signs it will show you just some of the creatures that call piers home!

Portsea Pier – Depth 5m

Portsea Pier is one of Victoria’s most renowned shore dives. Located on the beach in Portsea’s Weroona Bay at the tip of the Mornington Peninsula, Portsea is one of the centres of Victorian diving. The pier is a superb dive for both the beginner and experienced diver, with new sights guaranteed almost every dive. The famous Weedy Seadragons are often found, as are colonies of Cleaner Shrimps, rays, and a wide variety of temperate fish.

Dromana Pier – Depth 1-5m

DromanaPier lies in very shallow water, which means depending on the tide, you may have to do a side-roll entry. Snorkel directly out from the pier(maybe about 200m), and you should start to see the pylons of the old jetty. At the end of these pylons there are some rail wheels – they’recovered in seaweed now but still recognizable. Here you can see fiddler rays, nudibranchs, leather jackets and more.
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Sorrento Ferry Terminal – Depth 4 metres

The Sorrento Pier & Ferry Terminal can only be dived right after the last and final ferry has arrived from Queenscliff for the day. Make sure there is no more ferry coming as they can suck you into there props from over 40 meters away.  Local knowledge understanding is a must and should and should only be dived by experienced scuba divers due to strong currents that rip through the pier. You really want to dive this on slack water or as close to as possible. The underwater landscape is amazing with plenty of limestone boulders and crevices and is teaming with fish life such as trivially, zebrafish, groper, blue devils, old wives, sing rays cuttlefish and a monster Conger Eel.

Sorrento Pier and ferry terminal is a night divers haven. There is so much to see and a resident Seal Lives there and he loves to come to say hi to you during your dive

Flinders Pier – Depth 3 – 5 metres

Flinders Pier is famous for its Weedy Seadragon population and is best dived on the high tide after a period of northerly winds. Large Smooth Stingrays and Eagle Rays are resident to the pier as well as the occasional Swell Shark.

Mornington Pier – Depth 3 – 10m

MorningtonPier is a popular and well-known scuba diver training with a large variety of fish life to see. The maximum depth is at 10m depending on the tide, and there are big schools of old wives and zebrafish, and very large to enormous stingrays that live in the area. Mornington Pier is also a very popular night diving site, you just need to be careful of the fisherman’s lines and the boat traffic.

You will also see loads of seahorses, hulafish, octopus and cuttlefish.