Meet the site
Back Beach Cray Reef is the offshore reef that lies about a kilometre out from Jubilee Point on the Sorrento ocean coast, in 6–20 m of Bass Strait water. The Scuba Doctor lists it primarily as a crayfishing site and describes incredible ledges and overhangs – the limestone of the peninsula, undercut by swell into long horizontal shelters that southern rock lobsters favour – and notes that it is equally good for exploring, fish-watching and photography. The reef top is kelp-covered and broken by gutters; the ledges beneath are lined with sponges, bryozoans, sea tulips and jewel anemones, and the fish are the standard back-beach community of sweep, old wives, magpie perch, boarfish, zebrafish and bluethroat wrasse, with Port Jackson sharks and draughtboard sharks resting under the overhangs, blue devils in the darker holes and weedy seadragons along the kelp margin. Seals from the Heads colonies and passing dolphins are regular. It is one of a chain of similar cray reefs along the Peninsula's ocean side – Cape Schanck Cray Reef and Flinders Cray Reef are the others listed – and all share the same dependencies: a small boat, a flat sea and a gentle northerly. Access is via The Rip from Sorrento or Portsea, which adds the discipline of slack-water timing, or a longer run from Flinders. There is no charter schedule and no mooring, so this is a site for divers with their own boat or a club with one. It suits Advanced divers comfortable on exposed coast, lobster hunters (in season, with a licence and measuring gauge) and photographers wanting ledges full of life in clean water without the tidal pressure of the Heads.
What you might see
Southern rock lobster, southern blue devil, weedy seadragon, Port Jackson shark, draughtboard shark, sea sweep, old wife, magpie perch, long-snouted boarfish, zebrafish, bluethroat wrasse, blacklip abalone, sponges, sea tulips, jewel anemones, Australian fur seal
Location
Ledged limestone reef in 6–20 m about 1 km off Jubilee Point on the Sorrento ocean coast in Bass Strait, south-west of the shore sites at Jubilee Point and Diamond Bay.
Facilities nearby
Sorrento, Portsea and Flinders boat ramps; air fills at Bayplay (Portsea) or The Scuba Doctor (Rye).
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.