Mornington Peninsula Beach Closure Update – Scuba Diving

Some Great news for Victorian divers.

As many of us know Scuba Diving is Exercise, Swimming and a form of stress release as well as being great for mental health.

While our beaches remain closed to restrict gatherings, people will be able to access Mornington Peninsula Shire managed beaches:

As a thoroughfare for exercise – eg walking, running, swimming, surfing
Social distancing and mass gathering rules still apply.

So just get there get your dive gear ready and go swimming underwater, don’t gather and hang around afterwards having coffee and cake. Please Park far enough away from each other whilst gearing up. Do visual buddy checks and learn to put your dive gear on by yourself using either your car or steps as to keep social distancing rules.

Follow the rules so that our beaches can stay open for us. CLICK HERE and we advise printing this off and having on hand.

Stage 3 Travel restrictions are still in place how ever, So if you need to travel and go diving it is at your own Risk.

Over the past week, the Mornington Peninsula Shire has continued to monitor beach activity following the beach closure announcement on Saturday 28 March. This decision was undertaken following a directive from the Victorian Government and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) for the Council to do so in an effort to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

After assessing beach activity and leading discussions on closure restrictions with DELWP, Parks Victoria and individual Committees of Management, as well as other bay-side municipalities, the Shire has been able to achieve a broad alignment of our beach closure restrictions with those managed by other parties to avoid public confusion and establish a consistent approach.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor Sam Hearn said this adjustment has been made to provide a consistent approach to beach closure restrictions in our municipality.

“The Victorian Government’s ‘Stay at Home’ message still applies for the safety of our whole community and beach access should be kept short and for exercise purposes only,” he said.

“While we recognise that our beaches need to be an asset supporting our physical and mental health over this time, I must stress that curbing the spread of Coronavirus remains a key focus and the message to residents remains the same, please don’t congregate on our beaches.”

Regular surveillance of the beaches by Victoria Police will be undertaken to ensure people don’t flout the gathering and social distancing rules.

Boat ramps remain closed for all non-essential activities such as recreational boating.

The Shire is monitoring the situation every day and will continue to seek advice from the State Government.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire directly manages 64 kilometres of this over several coastal foreshore reserves on the Peninsula (Council is the appointed Committee of Management pursuant to the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 or the freehold landowner), including:

• Flinders Foreshore (northern section): Beach near Flinders pier facing Westernport
• Hastings Foreshore
• Mornington Foreshore: Fishermans, Mills, Scout, Shire Hall Beaches
• Mount Eliza Foreshore: Canadian Bay, Daveys Bay, Earimil North and South, Moondah, Ranelagh, Sunnyside Beaches
• Mount Martha Foreshore: Mount Martha North and South Beaches
• Portsea Foreshore: Portsea Front, Fishermans and Shelley Beaches
• Rosebud Foreshore: McCrae/Rosebud Beaches
• Rye Foreshore: Rye Front Beach
• Safety Beach Foreshore: Safety Beach
• Sorrento Foreshore: Sorrento Front Beach

Parks Victoria Back Beaches

Parks Victoria or the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) manage a large proportion of beaches on the Mornington Peninsula. This stretch is from the Quarantine Station on Port Phillip Bay in Point Nepean National Park along the back beaches of Mornington Peninsula National Park to Flinders Ocean Beach. These beaches include:

• Bushrangers Bay 
• Cape Schank
• Gunnamatta Beach
• Point Nepean National Park
• Portsea Ocean Beach
• Rye Ocean Beach
• Sorrento Ocean Beach
• St Andrews Beach
• Flinders Ocean Beach

Please Check and continue to monitor what the government says to do and keep up to date before going diving. We take no responsibility for people doing the wrong thing or being up to date on these matters.