Bellerive Beach lies on Hobart's eastern shore, looking across the Derwent to the city and kunanyi/Mount Wellington. The Marine Life Network guide describes it frankly as a training site that is scenically unremarkable, in 4-6 m, but notes that it is one of the places where the rare spotted handfish – whose fins have 'half evolved into legs' – can be found, along with the invasive Pacific seastar. The bottom is sand and silt with scattered shells, seagrass patches and debris.

Apart from handfish, divers can expect flathead, stingarees, pipefish, sea stars and small crabs, and the site is an easy place to practise skills. The spotted handfish survives in fewer than ten colonies in the Derwent estuary; its main threats are loss of spawning habitat to the Northern Pacific seastar, damage from swing moorings and historic scallop dredging. Divers who find one should keep well back, avoid touching the bottom and never disturb the stalked ascidians or artificial structures on which handfish lay eggs in spring.

Heavy boat traffic is the chief practical hazard, as the guide notes, so a dive flag is essential. Visibility is usually poor. Bellerive is a convenient eastern-shore site with good facilities, but it is best approached as a low-key training or critter dive rather than a scenic reef.

Because the beach is close to cafes, parks and the Bellerive Boardwalk, it is also easy to combine with non-diving family activities, and the view back to the city at dusk is excellent. Divers interested in handfish should consider a guided dive with Go Dive Tasmania on the western shore, where colonies are actively monitored and guides know the rules.

Cross the Tasman Bridge to the eastern shore and follow signs to Bellerive (about 10 minutes from the CBD). Park beside Bellerive Beach Park off Victoria Esplanade/Beach Street and walk a short distance across the sand to the water. Bellerive Boardwalk and marina are nearby; keep well away from the marina entrance and the ferry route.

Bellerive Beach Park has toilets and a playground; there is no dive shop on the eastern shore, so fill cylinders in Hobart or Kingston.

The Derwent estuary is sheltered from ocean swell, but strong northerly or southerly winds blow along its length and raise a short, steep chop; the Marine Life Network notes the region can become very rough in gales, even in the river. Visibility is the limiting factor: it is usually low (1-5 m) and worst after rain, when the Derwent's tannin-stained, silty floodwater spreads through the estuary. Dive after a dry spell, on a high or flood tide that brings in clearer marine water.

There is a noticeable but generally mild tidal flow. Diving is possible year-round; winter water is cold (9-11 °C).

Enter from the beach, swim out to 4-6 m and search slowly along the sand in a line parallel to the shore, keeping off the bottom. Surface only with a dive flag.

No scheduled operator dives; historically used as a training site by Hobart shops and clubs.