Where to snorkel close to Melbourne: 5 best spots according to a marine park ranger
Monique swims regularly with citizen scientists across all the park estates. Image credit: Parks Victoria.
Dive into Victoria’s underwater world this summer with your mask and snorkel! Glide through shallow waters where Southern Fiddler rays bask and explore rocky reefs teeming with anemones, crabs, and colorful sponges. Keep an eye out for playful pods of dolphins or seals and discover the best snorkelling spots with our list below, in or near Port Phillip Bay. These protected areas are close to Melbourne (at most 90 minutes’ drive) and showcase some of the best diversity of sea life in Victoria!
Program Leader of Marine and Coastal Programs at Parks Victoria, Monique Bregman, has extensive experience in snorkelling and diving at each of these sites, and has contributed some substantial knowledge to the lists below. Keep an eye out for her tips in each diving area!
Fun tip: If you’re keen to know more about the Traditional Owner Country you’re on, find out more here.
1. Snorkelling at Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary
Drive time from Melbourne: 90 minutes
At high tide, the coastline at Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary is spectacular enough, but the breaking waves generally conceal the offshore reefs. At low tide, the sea withdraws to expose a huge mushroom-shaped platform. A line of cobbles stretches out to sea, forming the stalk of the mushroom. At the tip, sections of reef branch out on either side to form the mushroom cap. Other reefs lie to the left and right and further out to sea, creating a mosaic of sheltered bays and pools.
Rock pool rambling is another fun activity that can be done at the low tide. Image credit: Parks Victoria.
A Weedy Seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), above a seagrass meadow. Image credit: Museums Victoria.
Monique’s tip: “When there is no swell running, Mushroom reef is great for both a snorkel and at low tide, a rock pool ramble. If you head out to the right of the reef on snorkel you go past a beautiful seagrass meadow which provides habitat for different types of fish that you find swimming off the back of the rocky reef making this snorkel all the more diverse. When you are crossing the shallow areas of the reef as you head out to deeper water, look carefully in the nooks and crannies as you drift past, there is an abundance of snails, sea stars and feather stars all waiting to be discovered.”
Fish such as Saddled Wrasse and Magpie Morwong swim hastily between the fronds. Strange box-like cowfish and Weedy Seadragons, Victoria’s marine state emblem, beat their small fins continuously to hover secretively over the seagrass beds.
Access to site: Access to Mushroom Reef is easy via the Flinders car park, with a short walk leading to the shoreline.
Best weather conditions: For snorkellers, it’s best to visit during low tide for calmer waters and optimal visibility in the rock pools.
For more information: Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary Visitor Guide
2. Snorkelling at Jawbone Marine Sanctuary
Drive time from Melbourne: 25 minutes
Jawbone Marine Sanctuary covers over 30 hectares in the north-west of the bay, offshore from Williamstown. It extends along 1.9 kilometres of coast from the high-water mark to a maximum of 300 metres offshore.
The main habitats protected by the sanctuary include intertidal and subtidal basalt reef, intertidal and subtidal soft sediment, seagrass and the water column. These shallower areas provide foraging and roosting areas for local and migratory seabirds and shorebirds.
Snorkellers can explore the calm, shallow waters to discover an abundance of creatures. Highlights include schools of colourful fish such as Bream, and Leatherjackets as well as unique species like seahorses, pipefish, and rays. During the warmer months, jellyfish and marine invertebrates add to the underwater scene.
Snorkelling is always safest with friends. Image credit: Parks Victoria.
Southern Pygmy Leatherjackets hiding among the kelp. Image credit: Erik Schlogl.
Monique’s tip: “Snorkelling at Jawbone on a still day with clear waters is like jumping into an aquarium! There is so much to see from rocky reef covered in beautiful Golden Kelp to swathes of sea grass meadow hiding pipefish and Southern Fiddler Rays. There are sandy patches playing host to dusky morwongs and sand flathead, but my favorites here are the Southern Pygmy Leatherjackets. These tiny but maneuverable little fish, about the size of a 50-cent piece are really well camouflaged so look carefully.”
Access to site: Access to Jawbone is convenient via car or public transport, with entry points near Crofton Drive.
Best weather conditions: The sanctuary’s waters are relatively calm, making it suitable for snorkellers of all skill levels. Early mornings or calm days are ideal for the best visibility and quiet exploration.
For more information: Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Care Group (JMSCG)
Jawbone Marine Sanctuary Visitor Guide
3. Snorkelling at Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary
Drive time from Melbourne: 40 minutes
Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary, located in Beaumaris along Melbourne’s Bayside area, is a popular snorkelling destination with a stunning blend of seagrass meadows, rocky reefs, and sandy beaches. This sanctuary protects diverse marine life and offers an accessible underwater haven for beginners and experienced snorkellers alike. There is a wheelchair friendly access ramp for the use of disabled divers.
In the clear, shallow waters, snorkelers can encounter a variety of marine creatures. The seagrass beds are home to seahorses, pipefish, and small rays, while the rocky reefs shelter colourful fish like wrasse, leatherjackets, and globefish. Look closer to spot vibrant sponges, sea stars, and nudibranchs nestled among the reef's crevices. Occasionally, you may spot larger species, such as smooth stingrays gliding through the deeper areas, and the occasional flathead camouflaged in the sand.
Ricketts Point at low tide. Image credit: Parks Victoria.
Southern Biscuit Stars come in many different colours. Image credit: Museums Victoria.
Monique’s tip: There are abundant Southern Biscuit Stars scattered throughout an array of seaweeds which create a background hue of greens, browns, gold and reds. This backdrop to a diverse array or fish including schools of Southern Hula fish makes for an enchanting snorkel.
Access to site: Entry to the sanctuary is easy via the beach at the Ricketts Point foreshore, with access points near the Ricketts Point Teahouse.
Best weather conditions: Low tide and calm conditions offer the best visibility, allowing for a leisurely exploration of the marine ecosystem.
For more information:Marine Care Ricketts Point Inc.
Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary Visitor Guide
4. Snorkelling at Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary
Drive time from Melbourne: 90 minutes
Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, located at the mouth of the Barwon River, offers a unique snorkelling experience, combining coastal beauty with a rich and diverse underwater world. This small but vibrant sanctuary protects an array of marine habitats, including intertidal rock pools, sandy seabeds, and rocky reefs.
Snorkellers can explore the sheltered waters to find a wide range of marine life. The reefs are teeming with colourful fish like Old Wives, Long Snouted Boarfish, leatherjackets, and Blue-throated Wrasse, while the sandy areas often reveal flathead, rays, and crabs. Delicate marine creatures such as nudibranchs, sea stars, and anemones thrive in the rocky crevices, while kelp forests provide habitat for seahorses and other hidden treasures. In deeper areas, you may spot Port Jackson sharks and schools of fish darting through the clear water.
On a calm day, this area is a magnificent spot for snorkelling. Image credit: Parks Victoria.
A Sixspine Leatherjacket (Meuschenia freycineti). Image credit: Museums Victoria.
Monique’s tip: “If you can get the right conditions, then a snorkel at the bluff will give you long lasting memories. The intertidal rock platform juts into the water creating a wall of crevices and small bays where you can see not only reef loving fishes but also visitors popping in from deeper waters. The conditions here can be a little tricky if there is a large swell but look out for the annual Great Victorian Fish Count which takes place around November. This lets you enjoy this site, snorkelling as a group and collecting invaluable data of the fish seen during the snorkel.”
Access to site: Access to the sanctuary is from the beach near Bluff Road or the Barwon Heads car park.
Best weather conditions: The best snorkelling conditions are during calm weather and low tide, with mornings offering optimal visibility. Diving should only be undertaken by trained and experienced divers, as strong currents and undertows can develop In deeper waters.
For more information: Friends of the Bluff and the Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary
Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary Visitor Guide
5. Snorkelling at Point Addis Marine National Park
Drive time from Melbourne: 90 minutes
Point Addis Marine National Park, located along the Great Ocean Road near Anglesea, is a breathtaking snorkelling destination that blends dramatic coastal scenery with diverse marine habitats. Stretching over 4,400 hectares, the park features rocky reefs, sandy seabeds, and kelp forests, providing a sanctuary for an abundance of marine life.
Snorkellers can explore the underwater world teeming with species such as colourful wrasse, leatherjackets, and morwongs. The rocky reefs are home to cuttlefish, sea stars, and sponges, while the kelp forests shelter seahorses and small crustaceans. During the warmer months, look out for schools of fish, and large rays and the occasional Port Jackson shark.
Point Addis is amazingly scenic. Image credit: Autopia tours.
Cuttlefish are common visitors. Image credit: Parks Victoria.
Monique’s tip: “If the Southern Ocean is behaving and providing suitable snorkelling conditions then this is a magnificent site. You will be bound to see large ocellate sea stars, an array of different leatherjackets, colourful sponges, carpets of red algae and so much more. Point Addis is also an amazing site to visit when the tide is low revealing a fantastic intertidal reef platform ready for an explorative ramble where you will likely see Elephant Snails, Red Bait crabs, common sea stars, snails and much more. The diversity of marine life and the curiosity of the fish is testament to this being a protected area.”
Access to site: Access points for snorkelling include the beach at Point Addis or nearby spots like Jarosite Reef, both reachable by short walks from the car parks.
Best weather conditions: Conditions are best on calm days with low tide to ensure good visibility and a safe experience.
For more information: Point Addis Marine National Park Visitor Guide
Did you know that Parks Victoria manages 24 marine protected areas? Here in Victoria, we have some of the rarest and most diverse underwater habitats in the world. That’s why in 2002, the very best samples of Victoria’s marine biodiversity were hand-picked to be protected forever.
We recently did a webinar on the best places to dive and snorkel in our amazing marine national parks. Find out more below.
All methods of fishing are prohibited in these areas. The taking or damaging of animals, plants, fossils and objects (artefacts) is also prohibited.
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