Meet the site
Andersen Reserve is a foreshore picnic reserve at Point George, on the northern edge of the Indented Head township, where John Batman's party first landed in 1835 to found what became Melbourne. It is a quiet, sheltered corner of the Bellarine's Port Phillip coast and one of the peninsula's easier shallow shore dives. The Scuba Doctor describes the waters as generally calm and sheltered and the site as suitable for night diving, with a 1-4 m depth range; the bottom off the point is sand and seagrass with patches of low rock and hydroid beds, deepening only slowly. The life is the same suite that makes the northern Bellarine shore worthwhile for macro divers: seahorses and pipefish in the seagrass, nudibranchs on the hydroids and sponges, globefish hovering in the weed, southern fiddler rays and stingarees on the sand, with octopus, dumpling squid, flathead and flounder emerging at night. Fish are small and scattered by day. There is nothing here to interest a diver wanting depth or drama, and everything for someone who wants an hour of unhurried critter hunting in calm water with a picnic table and toilet within fifty metres of the entry. It suits snorkellers, children, new divers and first night dives, and it is a natural companion to the Pipelines 2 km south and Governor Reef offshore. Like all the sites on this coast it is a high-tide dive that is at its best in a south-westerly, when the ocean beaches and the Mornington side are unworkable.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Andersen Reserve, Indented Head is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Geelong & Bellarine. The listed access is shore. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Andersen Reserve, Indented Head suitable for my certification?
The record lists Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Andersen Reserve, Indented Head through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Seahorses, pipefish, nudibranchs, globefish, southern fiddler rays, stingarees, octopus, dumpling squid, flathead, flounder, hydroids and seagrass fauna
Location
Sheltered shallow beach and reef at Point George, off the Andersen Reserve picnic area on The Esplanade at Indented Head, Bellarine Peninsula.
Facilities nearby
Free car park and picnic area with tables; public toilets in the reserve; general store and cafe in Indented Head; nearest air fills Bay City Scuba
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
scubadoctor.com.auscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.