The Dromana Shellfish Reef is one of the restoration sites created under the Victorian Shellfish Reef Restoration Project run by The Nature Conservancy and the Victorian Fisheries Authority, which aims to bring back the native flat oyster and blue mussel reefs that once covered much of Port Phillip before dredging destroyed them in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Five clusters of limestone rubble base seeded with mussels and oysters were laid on a one-hectare patch of bare sand in 8–9 m off Dromana, chosen after survey work that also mapped previously unknown seagrass beds nearby; the site is buffered 350 m from the nearest seagrass and is thought to overlie an historic natural shellfish reef. For divers the result is a low-relief artificial reef that is still maturing: the rubble mounds rise perhaps half a metre above the sand and are being colonised by mussels, oysters, sponges and algae, and they already attract far more fish than the surrounding seafloor – snapper, King George whiting, leatherjackets, wrasse and juvenile schooling fish, along with octopus, crabs and seastars using the crevices.

It is a dive of ecological interest rather than spectacle, best approached as a chance to see a reef being rebuilt from nothing and to compare the clusters with the empty sand around them. Depth and conditions are gentle and it is well within reach of a small boat or a fit kayak diver from Dromana beach on a flat day. Anchoring on the clusters is the one thing to avoid; the project asks visitors to anchor on sand.

The reef complements the Dromana Pier shore dive and the nearby Cicada wreck for a day of easy diving in the lee of Arthurs Seat. It suits Open Water divers with their own boat, marine science students and anyone curious about the bay's restoration programme.

Launch at the Safety Beach or Rye boat ramps, or from the Anthonys Nose (Dromana) ramp, and motor to the marks 1.3 km off Dromana Pier – a run of 5–15 minutes depending on the ramp. There is no mooring; anchor on the sand well clear of the reef clusters (anchoring on the reef damages the restoration) and drop down the anchor line. Nothing marks the reef on the surface, so an accurate GPS position is essential.

Kayak access from Dromana beach is feasible in flat water for experienced paddlers, but it is 1.3 km offshore.

Dromana Bay is sheltered by Arthurs Seat from southerlies but open to the north-west, so the reef is best on light southerly to easterly winds and flat water; a northerly or westerly above 15 knots makes the anchorage uncomfortable and stirs the sand. No current to speak of. Visibility is usually reasonable because the site is away from creek run-off, but a westerly blow will cloud it for a day.

Boat traffic from Safety Beach marina and the local ramps crosses the area in summer, so fly a dive flag from the boat.

Descend the anchor line to the sand at 8–9 m, locate the nearest cluster and move between the five clusters in a rough circuit, spending time at each for fish and invertebrates. Note the direction back to the anchor at each cluster; ascend the line with a 3-minute stop at 5 m.

No regular operator; visited by private boats, kayak divers and occasionally by Peninsula clubs. The Nature Conservancy and Victorian Fisheries Authority monitor it.