Dive in Melbourne

Diving in Melbourne

There are many dive adventures to be found in Melbourne .  Port Phillip Heads offers wrecks and submarine dives, kelp forests, walls and even seal dives.  The cold water environment means a variety of sea life strives in these waters including the weedy dragon, loads of crayfish, and many different species of fish, hard and soft corals.

You’ll find a few dive centres around the town but only a few of them do daily trips, going out mainly on the weekends.  There are almost 50 dives sites in the area and about 12 of these are wrecks dives so this is the perfect place to do your wreck certification.

The bay holds sunken warship and submarine wrecks and these are really fabulous dives to do.  The Eliza Ramden is a good advanced wreck dive and the SS Coogee and SS Courier are both much deeper and require rescue diver or tech certification, as do the submarine dives.  Open water divers can enjoy the HMAS Cerebrus.  For the most amazing wreck dive, head to the HMAS Canberra which was purposely sunk to create an artificial reef.  The 138 metres long war ship is truly is one of the best wreck dives you’ll experience.

There are a few good wall dives such as the Lonsdale Wall which macro photographers will love.  Drift divers will enjoy cruising along Foggy Reef or Franklin ’s Point.  The Number 10 Channel Marker is the site to dive or snorkel with the seals.  Snorkelling is also available at Pope’s Eye and Chinaman’s Hat.

A cool experience is the shark dive in the main display tank at the Melbourne Aquarium.  Anyone over the age of 15 can do this dive and it’s a great first diving adventure.

You’re going to love exploring the wreck capital of Australia but be sure to take your dry suit though as the water can get a little chilly.

(By Kelly Luckman)

Travel to Melbourne

Probably the trendiest and most multinational city in Australia , Melbourne is full of cool places to eat, drink and chill out.  You’ll be dazzled by the exciting surprises around every corner, of culture, heritage, music and fun.  There’s never a dull moment in Melbourne .

The city is well connected by bus and train to the rest of the country.  The international airport has regular flight too and from Asia, the USA and South America and domestic flights to most major cities in Australia .  The public transport is good in the city but hiring a car is a better way to see the surrounding area.

There are hundreds of places to stay around the city and you’ll want to be right in the centre of the action so head to St Kilda, Fitzroy or Carlton .  Dorm beds start at $20 a night and sometimes this will include breakfast.  You can get a double room from $70 a night up to the top 5 star hotels from $200-$300.  There are some beautiful heritage listed properties that are a great option if you want something a little different.

You’ll be spoilt for choice of things to do in Melbourne and whatever your interest, there’s something for you.  If you’re into art and culture then head to the Southbank precinct or Federation Square, which is one of the most popular place to hang out in the city.  There are over 100 art galleries alone to explore, not to mention all the museums and theatres so that’ll keep you art enthusiasts busy for a while.

If you enjoy nature and wildlife then take a walk through one of the many parks and gardens through the city, relax on the beach at St Kilda or visit the city’s award winning zoo.  You can take a bicycle tour, go fishing or on a sunset cruise, play a few rounds of golf, shop til you drop or take a scenic balloon flight over the area for a great way to see the city.  A walk through the historic laneways and byways is a must do and the city is football crazy so be sure to see an AFL game if you can. 

Food and wine is a culture of its own in Melbourne and you have so many tasty treats to discover.  There are cafes, restaurants and bars with beer gardens around every corner.  The international flair is fantastic so you can taste a bit of so many different countries in the one place.  Some of the best wine in the country can be found here so be sure to taste a few. 

Come and get lost in the streets of Melbourne and enjoy the wonderful diversity the city has to offer.  You’ll surely add this to your list of favourite cities visited.

(By Kelly Luckman)