
When you’re not lazing around on a sandy beach, or relaxing at a seaside restaurant, cool off and drift into the water for an incredible snorkelling session near Melbourne. Dotted around Port Phillip Bay, you’ll find tranquil spots that are just buzzing with marine life. Look out for sea horses, sting rays, colourful sponge gardens, reefs and more. Put on a mask and see what the water around Melbourne has to offer. As you are out in the wild, remember to keep an eye on the weather conditions, and to always snorkel with a buddy for safety.
Here’s where you can go snorkelling near Melbourne
Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary

Head to Beaumaris and explore the wonders of Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary. Just a 20 minute drive away from Melbourne, this popular spot for snorkelling is easily accessible and family-friendly. You can reach this area either by shore or by boat, with a launching point in Black Rock or Mordialloc. There’s also a wheelchair-friendly access ramp for disabled divers.
The beach itself has clear and shallow waters of less than five metres depth in most areas. Look out for fish and invertebrates and explore walls along the shoreline and rubble at the edge of the reef. If you’re a little more experienced at snorkelling, there’s also sea caves and offshore sandstone reefs.
This marine sanctuary has Seagrass beds within the shallows, which are a nursery and feeding ground for plenty of wildlife. The sanctuary is home to a wide variety of fish, as well as sharks, rays, octopus, squid and cuttlefish.
If you’d rather stay closer to land, there’s also rockpools along the shore. Find out more.
đź“ŤBeaumaris VIC 3193
Jawbone Marine Sanctuary

Head to Williamstown and swim in the tranquil waters of Jawbone Marine Sanctuary. This area is a great place to go snorkelling, as it’s only a 20 minute drive away from Melbourne CBD. You’ll find a wide range of habitats, including seagrass beds, submerged boulders and kelp forests. Look out for underwater creatures like glass shrimp, small fish, bright sponges, southern fiddler rays and more.
While you’re there, have a look at the rockpools and see if you can spot any crabs or urchins. Find out more here.
đź“ŤWilliamstown VIC 3106
Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary

Point Cooke (yes with an e) Marine Sanctuary is the largest marine park and sanctuary in Victoria. It protects a whopping 290 hectares of shorelines, and features reefs, mudflats and basalt cliffs. It’s also home to two heritage-listed shipwrecks, the Henrietta and the Diane, which can be explored by both snorkellers and divers.
The sanctuary is shallow, and is less than four metres deep. Below the surface, you’ll find seagrass beds and rocky reefs. As you snorkel around Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary, look out for small sharks, rays, fish like the Southern Blennie and brightly coloured algae and sponges. If you’re lucky, you might see pods of bottlenose dolphins. Take care in late summer, as swarms of jellyfish drift over the reef.
You’ll find this snorkelling spot roughly 30 minutes away from Melbourne, and the main entrance is on Point Cook Road via the coastal park. Otherwise, you can access the sanctuary by boat, with launch points in Williamstown and Werribee. More info here.
đź“ŤPoint Cook VIC 3030
Chinaman’s Hat

You might need to join a tour for this one, or hire out a vessel of your own, in order to visit Chinaman’s Hat. This site in Port Phillip Bay is located between Queenscliff and Sorrento, and is a cool spot to snorkel because it’s where seals like to hang out. You’ll find seals sleeping on the structure, or playing and swimming around in the surrounding water. If you’re lucky, you might even see some dolphins!
As these are marine mammals, there are regulations in place to protect the wildlife. When snorkelling, keep at least five minutes away from the structure. For your safety and the safety of the seals, don’t touch them, splash them or make loud noises. If you’re getting there with your own boat, keep the vessel 30 metres away from the structure. Jet skis must be 50 metres away. See more here.
đź“ŤPort Phillip Bay
Pope’s Eye

Just 5km north east of Portsea, you’ll find an artificial structure known as Pope’s Eye. This structure was first established in the late 1800s and was intended to be a part of defence fortifications. However, this was never completed, so all we have today is a ring of rocks. Now, it is a protected space for marine life, and is filled with kelp forests, colourful sponge gardens and plenty of fish. Above the water, it’s home to a colony of diving birds.
This space is popular for both diving and snorkelling, as it’s about 1.5 metres deep within the ring, and about 10 metres deep on the outside. To get there, you will need to take a boat or go on a tour. Learn more here.
đź“ŤPort Phillip Bay
Rye Pier

Rye Pier is an excellent spot for a stroll, but have you ever gone below the surface? This lovely spot in Mornington Peninsula is great for both snorkelling and diving. It’s quite sandy around the pier, but you’ll also find small patches of sea grass here and there. Under the pier, you’ll also see a handy trail of photos, known as the Octopuses Garden, which explain sea life that you might encounter in the area.
Look out for sea horses, bottom feeding stingrays, octopuses, sea slugs, crabs and a diverse range of fish. You can go for a snorkel from the beach itself, and the pier also has a lower platform if you’d like to start further out. Please note that due to the shallow water, jumping off the pier is not allowed. See more here.
đź“ŤBay Trail, Rye VIC 3941
Blairgowrie Pier

Blairgowrie Pier is roughly 280 metres long and leads to the marina, where you’ll see plenty of small boats bobbing on the surface. Underneath the surface is just as beautiful. There’s an extensive sea wall around the pier and marina, leading to an abundance of marine life, including seahorses, fish, octopus, sponges, sea slugs and more. Every June, thousands of spider crabs make their way to Blairgowrie to shed their old shells. You can enter the water from the beach for from a platform on the pier. This is a popular dive spot, but snorkelers can have plenty of fun here too.
đź“Ť2900 Point Nepean Rd, Blairgowrie VIC 3942
Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary

The rugged Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary gets its name from its mushroom-shaped reef, which is visible at low tide. There’s also other reefs located on either side of the structure, and further out to see, creating plenty of sheltered bays and pools.
Located off Flinders Ocean Beach, this sanctuary protects 80 hectares of open coast on the Mornington Peninsula. There’s a diverse range of marine life to look out for, making snorkelling a dream. You might see the Weedy Seadragon among the reefs and seagrass meadows. Other sea creatures include the Black and White Seastar, the Cowfish, anemones, crabs and more. At low tide, explore the rockpools to see what else is hiding among the crevices. See more here.
đź“ŤFlinders, VIC 3929
Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary

Drive roughly 90 minutes away from Melbourne and discover 17 hectares of reef and sea life by snorkelling at Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary. Located near the mouth of the Barwon River, this sanctuary is packed with kelp forests, sponge gardens and sandstone arches, leading to a great variety of marine life. Look out for schools of fish, small sharks, rays, feather stars, sea slugs, crabs and more.
The eastern half of the reef is basalt, and exposed to the flow of the river. Meanwhile, the western side is old sandstone, and affected by ocean swell. The best time to snorkel in the area would be when there’s no wind and little swell from the south and southwest. Be sure to check the conditions before you go, because visibility can get tricky. See more here.
đź“ŤBarwon Heads VIC 3227