Bird Rock is a small limestone headland and offshore stack on the Surf Coast at Jan Juc, a few kilometres south-west of Torquay, better known to surfers for the reef break that peels off it and to walkers for the Bird Rock lookout on the Surf Coast Walk. When conditions permit, and they rarely do, it is also a rewarding shore dive. The Scuba Doctor describes the underwater terrain in three bands: a shallow limestone reef close to the platform with ledges and holes, then gullied platforms around Bird Rock itself, and beyond them offshore limestone reefs with shelves and overhangs in 6-8 m that support a wide array of marine life.

The rock is the soft, honeycombed calcarenite of the whole Torquay coast, so every surface is undercut and every gully has a shaded roof, and the growth in those shadows is oceanic: sponges, ascidians, bryozoans, sea tulips and jewel anemones, with crayweed and bull kelp on the exposed tops. Fish are the Surf Coast community of blue-throat wrasse, magpie perch, leatherjackets, scalyfin, zebrafish, old wives, sweep, boarfish under ledges, Port Jackson sharks in winter and the occasional weedy seadragon along the weed line, with rays on the sand between reefs. The dive is defined by exposure.

Bird Rock faces south-west into Bass Strait, the swell is rarely small enough, squalls arrive fast, and rips run off the headland whenever there is surf, so this is a site for experienced ocean divers who can read the sea from the lookout and are prepared to drive home without getting wet. On the handful of flat autumn days each year it is a beautiful, uncrowded dive, and it pairs with The Steps 1 km south-west and Point Danger to the north-east in a Surf Coast shore-diving day.

From Torquay head south on the Surf Coast Highway toward Darian Road, through the roundabouts onto the Great Ocean Road, turn left onto Duffields Road, take the first exit at the roundabout onto Ocean Boulevard and turn left at Princes Terrace into the Bird Rock car park (free). Take the track and steps down to the beach and rock platform, a carry of about 150 m with steps. Survey the water first, then choose an entry point on the rock platform of the south-western headland.

Exit at the same platform. The Steps dive site is 1 km south-west along Ocean Boulevard.

Flat, calm seas with minimal swell and no wind or a light northerly are required; The Scuba Doctor notes that weather here varies considerably with very strong winds and squalls, and that when conditions are poor it is a highly hazardous area with deep water, rocks and rips. Best at high tide for depth over the inner platform. South-westerly swell of any size closes the site.

Autumn and early winter give the most usable days; visibility 5-15 m when clean. Experienced divers and snorkellers only.

Enter from the platform at high tide on a flat day, work out over the shallow limestone reef with its ledges and holes at 2-4 m, round Bird Rock through the gullied platforms at 4-6 m, continue to the offshore limestone reefs with shelves and overhangs at 6-8 m, turn at half gas and return inside the reef line to the platform.

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.