What Are The Scuba Dive Sites In Melbourne?

Melbourne Wreck Dives

The city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, has a long and illustrious history in the maritime industry. As a result, over 800 vessels have met with disaster in Victoria's waters, with just about 30% of those ships being recovered. In addition, the Bass Strait, just south of Melbourne, is home to the extensive Tudor Ships' Graveyard of sunken ships Phillip and the Port of Melbourne.

Victorian Ships Graveyard Wreck Dives

An enormous ship graveyard lies to the south of Melbourne. It stretches from Point Lonsdale in the east all the way to Torquay's Fisherman's Beach. 46 wrecks have been discovered so far. They include a paddle steamer, a tug, a dredge, some barges, some lighters, some coastal freighters, some World War One submarines, and a patrol boat. In many cases, the explosive charge or the opened valve cock was used to scuttle the ships while others are still in relatively good shape.

There are two areas that makeup Victoria's Ships' Graveyard

Between the years of 1900 and 1925, an area outside Port Phillip Heads that was never mapped was in use. The lack of order in its use led to the establishment of a designated space. Ships were scuppered out to the area in the past by opening the seacocks and setting the vessels adrift, sometimes by setting fire to them.

As a result, a few ships got dispersed and ended up in strange places. In November 1928, for instance, the barrel of the 567-ton planing hull Norwester washed up on the crowded shores of Portsea. Legislation prohibiting dumping at sea was enacted in response to public outcry over similar incidents.

This is really the designated area off the coast of Victoria for sinking old ships. This is the approved Ships' Graveyard, as designated by the Beaches, Fishing Grounds, and Sea Routes Act of 1932. Approximately 10 kilometres to the south-west of Barwon Heads is Area #3, a 6-kilometer-wide region with a depth of 40 to 60 metres.

These ships' depths range from 30 metres to 82 metres, and they went out of service anywhere from the early 1900s to 1999. Some wrecks are penetrable, and because of the lack of tidal current or shipping, wrecks can be divvied up at any time of the day. Wind speed and wave height are the primary restraints.

West Coast Shipwreck Trail

Approximately 240 of the 638 shipwrecks off the coast of Victoria have been located. Some of the locations where storms, human error, and even foul play led to the sinking of these ships can be seen along the Historic Shipwreck Trail between the Shipwreck Coast and the Discovery Coast. Keep an eye out for the informational plaques that overlook the cliffs and beaches as you drive along this rugged coastline.

When the Bass Strait was the way to the wealth of the goldfields, and Portland was the way to a new life in Victoria, each site exposes more about our waterfront in the weeks straight of sail and steam. When anchored in Portland Bay, small coastal traders and support ships carrying vital cargo but rather immigrants for both Europe, America, and or the new colonies of Victoria often battled severe storms.

Port Phillip Wreck Dives

Many ships, not just those near Port Phillip Heads, have met their watery demise in Port Phillip. Heritage Victoria estimates there to be about 130, with many more waiting to be discovered. Those that we are familiar with and have explored are included here. However, perhaps you'd rather seek out the wrecks whose locations are unknown to us.

Blairgowrie Pier

Blairgowrie Pier can be found in Camerons Bight, on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia, on the southern coast of Port Philip between Sorrento and Rye. All kinds of colourful habitats can be found here, and there is always something new to see. Photographers interested in macro work often visit Blairgowrie Pier to dive for the perfect shot. The Blairgowrie Pier is a favourite among those taking scuba diving lessons. When it comes to diving from piers in temperate waters, Blairgowrie Pier is among the best options worldwide.

Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron  replaced Blairgowrie Jetty with Blairgowrie Pier in 2001 to create a secure boat harbour and marina.

Great opportunities for sea kayaking and scuba diving can be found just beneath the marina's pier, which is protected by an outer signal screen wall.

As part of the most recent marina expansions, rock mattresses were installed at the base of the wave wall to protect the sea floor from erosion. Giant Australian Cuttlefish and other octopuses find the tipped-up mattress corners to be an ideal habitat. At some point in the marina expansion process, the 300 m² of north-south trending topics sea wall covered in brillo pad and ascidian happiness was going to be removed and replaced.

From 2016-2018, local volunteers led by Operation Sponge and BYS worked together to remove the sponges but rather ascidians from the demolished wall and affix them to the newly constructed one. The abundance of marine life at Blairgowrie Pier is a result of the steady supply of nutrients carried by the tides from The Heads. The pier's support columns are home to a vibrant sponge colony.

There is a wide range of animals and plants depending on the water's depth and the distance from the shore. So, discoveries of significance are found at each pylon. The Big Belly Seahorse, Shorthead Seahorse, and the Tasselled Anglerfish are just some of the species that could be hiding in the vegetation if you look closely enough. At the pier's end, turn left and follow the outer breakwater. This section of Blairgowrie Pier is off-limits to anglers. Instead, there are a lot of dead shells and a swarm of sponges as you go deeper.

Excellent development can be seen above the towers and the new steel sheet cladding that lines the side of the pier and shields the yachts as in marina from the effects of waves and current. Kelps, sponges, sea anemones, ascidians, molluscs, and associated fish all find shelter in the outer slipway and wave screen. As a result, the dive resembles more of a wall dive than a standard pier dive.

Conclusion

Australia's Victoria state capital, Melbourne, is a culinary mecca and a potential new diving destination. A wide variety of marine life, including coral reefs, temperate reefs, fantastic drift dives, rich algae gardens, crayfish, echinoderms, scallops, dolphins, seals, and more, call this area home. If you are a novice diver looking for your first dive site, Rye Pier is a fantastic option. Into Rye Harbor, the L-shaped Rye Pier stretches for a total of 500 feet. The eastward-flowing currents make it an ideal spot for scuba divers.

It is the best place on Earth to watch seahorses and Smooth Stingrays, and is home to both the Bigbelly Seahorse and the Short Head Seahorse. The Southern Ochre Octopus, Southern Keeled Eel, Maori Squid, and Southern Sand Octopus are some of the most often spotted octopi at Rye Pier. Giant spider crabs, which can reach a whopping one metre in height, are also known to move to shallow seas along the ocean floor. Dive with grey spear tooth sharks, giant stingrays, and many other types of exotic fish at SEA LIFE Melbourne for a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won't forget! Divers of various experience levels frequent Portsea Pier, which juts northward into Port Phillip from Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, for the purposes of training, photography, and relaxation.

Both government ships and the Portsea Ferry make regular stops at this pier, making it a good area to try to find a Weedy Seadragon in the kelp beds near the pier's end. Andrea Lomdahl created and had published by Heritage Victoria in 1992 a set of publications titled Underwater Shipwreck Discovery Trail. Off the coast of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the EX-HMAS Canberra is a renowned dive site. Snorkelers and novice dives can enjoy it just fine, but only the most skilled divers should try to navigate the wreck. Located in 28 miles of water, the decommissioned HMAS Canberra has a mast that is only around 5 feet below the water's surface at low tide.

On display for guests are works of art from the historic Australian ship's mess hall and captain's cabin. If you are looking for a great area to go scuba diving in Melbourne, the Lonsdale Arch site should be at the top of your list.

In Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the dive sites known as the J Class Submarine Wreck Dives offer a thrilling and picturesque underwater experience. One German U-boat was sunk and two enemy battleships were damaged thanks to the efforts of the seven J Submarines, which also set new marks for surface speed and submerged speed during World War I. In 1919, the British government gifted six submarines to the Royal Australian Navy, which were then completely refurbished at the Landscape Islands Shipyard. After being sold at auction to a decommissioning company in 1924, the Japanese submarines J1, J2, J4, and J5 were destroyed in the Australian Ships' Cemetery in Bass Strait. One of Melbourne's most popular diving destinations is Devils Dropoff, which features a giant drop of 12-30 metres followed by enormous ledges, overhangs, and swim-throughs. There is a thriving marine life community here, including numerous species of fish, coral reefs, and even microorganisms.

The Beaches, Fishing Grounds, and Sea Ways Act of 1932 designates a certain region off the coast of Victoria as the "Victoria Ships' Graveyard." From Point Lonsdale in the east to Fisherman's Beach in Torquay, it's a long way to travel. One paddle steamer, one tug, one dredge, several barges, several lighters, several coastal freighters, several World War One submarines, and one patrol boat have been located thus far. Area #4 is narrower at only 3 kilometres in width, while Area #3 is 6 kilometres broad and has a depth of 40 to 60 metres. There have been 638 shipwrecks off the shore, 240 of which have been discovered. The key limitations are wind speed and wave height. Overlooking the cliffs and beaches, the Historic Shipwreck Trail connects the Shipwreck Coast with the Discovery Coast.

One common way to see the Victoria, Australia coast is through the thrilling sport of wreck diving at Port Phillip. Camerons Bight on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia, is home to the Blairgowrie Pier, which can be found on the southern coast of Port Philip between Sorrento and Rye. It was demolished in 2001 to make way for a safe marina and port where boaters could dock their vessels and enjoy water sports like kayaking and scuba diving. To prevent further erosion of the sea floor, rock mattresses were laid at the base of the wave wall during the most recent marina extensions. Octopuses, such as the giant Australian cuttlefish, find refuge under the tipped-up corners of mattresses.

Throughout 2016-2018, community members under the direction of Operation Sponge and BYS worked together to salvage ascidians from the old wall and attach them to the new one. Blairgowrie is one of the best places in the world to see marine life because of its abundance.

Content Summary

1. Melbourne has been known as Australia's cultural centre for quite some time, but it has also become a popular scuba diving destination as of late.
2. With the inauguration of our newest location in this major Australian city this coming June, Adreno is confident enough to declare it home to five of the best jumps in the country.
3. It appears that there is a beautiful variety of marine life in the waters around Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
4. You may dive on sunken ships, breathtaking wall dives, temperate reefs, wonderful drift dives, beautiful algae gardens, and encounter marine life such as crayfish, echinoderms, scallops, dolphins, and seals.
5. See the underwater world for yourself by signing up for a scuba diving course.
6. The expanding lime trade necessitated the construction of this building in 1860.
7. Since the currents flow eastward, scuba diving is not recommended when the winds are strong from the north.
8. The lower landing is located roughly 50 metres from the pier's end, which is quite some distance.
9. Animal activity increases at night, making it the perfect time for exploration.
10. Keep an eye out for the marine life that has decided to make the towers their home.
11. At Rye Pier, scuba divers can count on a fun and unique dive every time.
12. Huge numbers of people congregate on the pier to observe passing Smooth Stingrays.
13. And since the lake is constantly crowded, the greatest place to watch marine life is from below the pier.
14. The Southern Ochre Octopus, Southern Keeled Eel, Maori Squid, and Southern Sand Octopus are some of the most often spotted octopi at Rye Pier.
15. A big spider crab or two can be seen at Rye Pier.
16. Tens of thousands more Giant Reef Sharks start their annual migration to shallow seas along the ocean floor somewhere between the last week of May and the middle of June.
17. Melbourne's SEA LIFE Aquarium Offers Shark Diving
18. See one of the most feared creatures of the deep up close and personal at SEA LIFE Melbourne's shark dive.
19. Enter the sea and swim with strange animals like grey spear tooth sharks and gigantic stingrays.
20. Take on your worries in SEA LIFE Melbourne's Oceanarium, which holds 2.2 million litres of water.
21. Often used abbreviation for "weeds" on the Portsea Pier.
22. The Mornington Peninsula in Victoria is where you'll find Portsea Pier extending north into Port Phillip.
23. Divers frequently rank Portsea Pier as one among Melbourne's best spots to explore under the water.
24. Attempting to spot a Weedy Seadragon in the kelp beds near the pier's end is a good idea.
25. All along the Victoria coast, from the West Lost at Sea Trail to the Romanesque Ships' Burial chamber, from Harbour Phillip Heads Underwater Jumps to Port Phillip Disaster Dives, and everywhere in between, certified swimmers can explore the wrecks of wooden clippers, iron ocean liners, cargo ships, passenger liners, and more.
26. HMAS Canberra's Former Submarine The EX-HMAS Canberra is regarded as one of Australia's top wreck dives, albeit only experienced divers should venture there.
27. Just off the coast of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the ex-HMAS Canberra artificial reef & belly flop wreck offers stunning and unique diving & exploration opportunities.
28. Divers frequent the decommissioned HMAS Canberra now that it serves as a diving hotspot.
29. At low tide, the highest point of the mast of the decommissioned HMAS Canberra is just around 5 feet below the surface, making it an ideal diving destination.
30. Divers of various experience levels, from those with only an open water certification to those who specialise in wreck diving, may have a good time here.
31. Divers can also anticipate seeing a diverse array of marine life.
32. Exploring the Ruins of a J-Class Submarine Seven J Submarines, reconstructed for the Royal Navy between 1915 and 1917, were able to break both the surface speed record (at 19 knots) and the submerged speed record (at 30 knots) (9.4 knots).
33. During World War I, the Navy was responsible for the destruction of one German U-boat and the serious damage to two enemy battleships. In 1918, the HMS J6 Diver was sunk by "friendly fire."
34. In March 1919, the British government gave the Royal Australian Navy six submarines as a gift.
35. The J3 serves as both a jetty and a power plant for the Swan Island military outpost.
36. Satan's Descent Among the most well-liked in Melbourne. Experience the thrill of scuba diving with a local instructor.
37. Yet, only advanced divers can explore the deeper elements of Devils Drop Off.
38. Scuba divers in Melbourne seem to really like it.
39. wreck diving in Melbourne Australia's state of Victoria's capital city, Melbourne, has a rich heritage in the shipping sector.
40. Thus far, 46 shipwrecks have been located.
41. They range from a paddle steamer to a tug to a dredge to a few barges to a few lighters to a few coastal freighters to a few submarines from World War One to a patrol boat.
42. Victoria's Ships' Graveyard is comprised of two distinct regions. A region beyond Port Phillip Heads that was never mapped was in use between the years of 1900 and 1925.
43. Ships were scuttled in the area by opening seacocks and sending them adrift, sometimes by setting fire to them.
44. It's official: this spot off Victoria's coast is perfect for bringing down ageing vessels.
45. Area #3 is a 6-kilometer-wide location about 10 kilometres south-west of Barwon Heads, with a depth of 40 to 60 metres.
46. Shipwrecks along the Pacific Coast Only around a quarter of the 638 shipwrecks off Victoria's coast have been discovered.
47. The Historic Shipwreck Trail connects the Shipwreck Coast with the Discovery Coast, where visitors can explore some of the areas where storms, human mistake, and even foul play led to the sinking of these ships.
48. Wreck diving at Port Phillip Unfortunately, Port Phillip has been the watery grave of many ships, and not just those close to Port Phillip Heads.
49. Heritage Victoria estimates that there are roughly 130, with many more to be unearthed.
50. Pier at Blairgowrie Blairgowrie Pier is located in Camerons Bight on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia, between Sorrento and Rye on the southern shore of Port Philip.
51. There are many different sorts of vibrant ecosystems to explore, and each visit brings something fresh.
52. Students of scuba diving love to practise their skills at the Blairgowrie Pier.
53. To make a safe harbour for boats, the Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron demolished Blairgowrie Jetty and built Blairgowrie Pier in 2001.
54. Just beneath the marina's pier, which is shielded by an outside signal screen wall, are excellent spots for sea kayaking and scuba diving.
55. Local volunteers organised by Operation Sponge and BYS removed the ascidians, not sponges, from the old wall and attached them to the new one in the period between 2016 and 2018.