Queenscliff Pier is the training pier for the Bellarine end of Port Phillip Heads, a working fishing pier below the old town that gives easy access to the cleaner, oceanic water that flushes the south-western corner of the bay on every flood tide. The Scuba Doctor describes it as a popular diver training spot with a range of 2-8 m, and that depth range, combined with visibility that regularly beats the inner-bay piers, is why the Queenscliff dive shops use it for courses and why Melbourne divers heading to the Heads for boat dives often add a pier dive here. The pylons are thick with sponges, ascidians, hydroids and algae in the colours that Heads divers expect, and they shelter the usual pier community plus a few oceanic extras: leatherjackets, old wives, moonlighters, wrasse, blennies, cardinalfish, seahorses and pipefish in the weed, nudibranchs on the sponges, octopus and cuttlefish in the debris, stingarees and fiddler rays on the sand, and occasionally a passing fur seal from the Chinamans Hat colony or a weedy seadragon at the outer piles.

Because the pier lies just north of the harbour entrance and the ferry channel, boat traffic is heavy and divers keep tight to the structure. The Rip's tidal streams reach the pier weakly, so timing the dive to slack or the last of the flood gives the calmest, clearest conditions. It is a good night dive.

Shortland Bluff, Beach 10B and Cottage by the Sea Reef, the tidal shore dives of Lonsdale Bay, are within 1-2 km to the west for more experienced divers, and the pier is the sheltered fallback when they are running too hard.

Queenscliff is 30 km south-east of Geelong via the Bellarine Highway (35 minutes) or 90 minutes from Melbourne; the Searoad ferry from Sorrento also lands here. The pier is at the bottom of the town off Wharf Street/Weeroona Parade near the Queenscliff Harbour; park in the foreshore car parks (free or metered depending on location, busy in holidays) and walk 50-100 m to the pier. Enter from the beach beside the pier or from the lower landing, and stay under the structure; the harbour entrance and ferry channel are immediately south and busy.

Exit on the beach or landing. Dive Victoria Group's shop is a few minutes' walk away.

Sheltered from westerlies and south-westerlies by the town and Shortland Bluff; north-easterlies and northerlies put chop onto the pier. Being close to the Heads it feels the Rip tidal streams more than the northern piers: dive around slack water or on the last of the flood for the clearest water and least current, and check tide times for Port Phillip Heads. Visibility is better than the inner bay (4-10 m) because oceanic water flushes through on each flood.

No swell under the pier. Ferry, fishing and pleasure-boat traffic through the adjacent harbour entrance is heavy; stay under the pier and tow a flag.

Enter from the beach on the northern side, follow the pylons out to the head at 6-8 m, spend time on the outer piles where the sponge growth and fish are best, cross under and return along the southern row, keeping well clear of the harbour channel, and exit at the beach. Turn at half gas at the head.

Popular diver training spot: Dive Victoria Group (Queenscliff) uses it for open-water courses and refreshers; Bay City Scuba and Melbourne clubs visit. Independent shore access.