Bells Beach is the most famous surf beach in Australia, home of the Rip Curl Pro since 1961 and protected as a surfing recreation reserve, and almost nobody thinks of it as a dive site. Yet the reef that makes the wave, limestone platforms extending about 50 m offshore from The Button at the north-eastern end to Bell Headland at the south-western end, lies within Point Addis Marine National Park and, on the very rare days when the swell dies completely, it is a fine shore dive. The Scuba Doctor gives a range of 1-10 m with the main dive in 8-10 m, and describes limestone reefs with shelves, overhangs and holes that continue offshore.

The rock is the same soft calcarenite as the rest of the Surf Coast, honeycombed by the swell into undercuts and gutters whose shaded surfaces are thick with sponges, ascidians, bryozoans and jewel anemones and whose tops carry crayweed and bull kelp. Weedy seadragons and blue devils are recorded here, the seadragons along the weed edges and the blue devils in the deeper holes, together with blue-throat wrasse, magpie perch, leatherjackets, scalyfin, zebrafish, old wives, sweep and boarfish, Port Jackson sharks in the holes and rays on the sand. The marine national park extends offshore into sponge gardens and rhodolith beds in deeper water that are boat dives.

Everything depends on the sea. Bells faces south-west into the full Southern Ocean swell, a strong rip feeder current runs along the reef whenever there is surf, and squalls arrive with little warning, so the site is for experienced ocean divers who watch the forecasts for a flat northerly spell and are content to use the excellent car park, lookouts and toilets for a walk if the sea says no. Point Addis is 4 km south-west and The Steps 2 km north-east.

From Torquay take the Great Ocean Road south-west for 7 km and turn off into the very long Bells Beach car park on Bells Boulevard; park at the far south-western end near the main beach track (free). Walk down the path and steps to the beach, a carry of about 200 m, and enter from the sand at the south-western end where the path arrives. Exit at the same beach.

The site has a good road, a large car park, viewing platforms and toilets, and is closed to the public during the Rip Curl Pro surfing contest at Easter.

A very exposed shore dive that should only be attempted when the seas are flat and calm with very little swell, which at Bells, one of the most consistent surf breaks in the world, is a rare event. Weather varies considerably with very strong winds and squalls; when conditions are wrong it is a highly hazardous area with deep water, rocks and reefs and a strong rip feeder current. Northerly winds and a swell under half a metre are the requirement, most often met in autumn and early winter.

Visibility 5-15 m when clean. Experienced divers and snorkellers only.

Enter at the south-western end on a flat day, swim out over the limestone platform reef with its shelves, overhangs and holes at 3-6 m, work along the reef toward Bell Headland or north-east toward The Button at 6-10 m, turn at half gas and return along the inner reef to the beach.

No regular commercial operator – dived independently by experienced Geelong and Surf Coast divers and clubs on the rare flat days; Bay City Scuba (Geelong) is the nearest shop. Snorkel tours operate under Parks Victoria licence in summer.