Scuba Diving and Snorkelling

Victorians can be a bit precious about the natural environment, luckily for nature enthusiasts. This being the case, the best places for diving and snorkelling are often in the states many protected marine parks. The relatively short stretch of coast along Victoria’s border has an amazing diversity of marine habitats, and over 1200 different species of plants and animals. As well as this, the more daring diver may venture into the waters of Bass Strait, which is the graveyard of over 700 shipwrecks, some of which are yet to be explored.

Port Phillip is a popular area for divers of all levels. If you’re a beginner, the sheltered rock pools of Point Nepean and Point Lonsdale are a great place to start. Here you’ll find a variety of beautiful kelp and sponges lining caves and rock walls. An area known as the Rip provides spectacular wall diving for more experienced divers. This area is the home of the Weedy sea dragon, seahorses, cuttlefish and a variety of algal and invertebrate species, so keep your eyes open!

Wilsons Promontory National Marine Park is the largest in Victoria, and has some of the most spectacular underwater scenery you’re likely to encounter. Huge granite boulders are covered with colourful sea grasses, home to a vast collection of fish and marine creatures. You’ll come across large schools of butterfly perch as well as blue gropers, and red velvet fish. To say the least, the number of species here is astounding, and certainly well worth exploring at length. Don’t forget to come up for air!