Meet the site
Beach 10B takes its name from the numbered life-saving beach marker on the Lonsdale Bay foreshore between Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale, and it is one of a trio of tidal shore dives (with Cottage by the Sea Reef and Shortland Bluff) that give experienced divers a taste of Port Phillip Heads from the sand. From the beach the bottom runs out through seagrass beds in the shallows onto undulating rocky ground with sparse cover at 5-6 m, then across ridges of sand that rise to within 4 m of the surface at around the 10 m mark, and finally onto the good ground: ledges, deep overhangs, gutters and swim-throughs at 8-9 m that locals call Friendly Bommie. This outer reef is where the oceanic flushing shows. The overhangs are lined with sponges, ascidians, bryozoans and jewel anemones, the gutters hold old wives, magpie perch, boarfish and leatherjackets, blue-throat wrasse and moonlighters work the tops, weedy seadragons appear along the seagrass edge, smooth stingrays lie in the sand channels and fur seals from Chinamans Hat sometimes come to look. It is a genuinely good dive, better than most boat dives inside the bay, and it is free. The price is tidal discipline: The Scuba Doctor describes the site as very current prone and best dived right on a slack water flood, and the streams along this shore are strong enough to carry an inattentive diver toward the Rip. Dive it with someone who knows the local slack, keep a float up for the boats and jet skis that use Lonsdale Bay, and turn inshore the moment the flood is felt. Cottage by the Sea Reef is 290 m west and Shortland Bluff 540 m east.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Beach 10B, Queenscliff is recorded as Reef 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
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 Beach 10B, Queenscliff suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced 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 Beach 10B, Queenscliff 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
Weedy seadragons, old wives, magpie perch, boarfish, leatherjackets, blue-throat wrasse, moonlighters, smooth stingrays, Australian fur seals, sponges, ascidians, bryozoans, jewel anemones, seagrass fauna
Location
Shore reef off the beach at the corner of The Esplanade and Stevens Street, Queenscliff, facing south-south-west into Lonsdale Bay inside Port Phillip Heads, with ledges and swim-throughs at 8-9 m known locally as Friendly Bommie.
Facilities nearby
Small free car park at The Esplanade and Stevens Street; toilets at Santa Casa Beach and Queenscliff foreshore; cafes in Queenscliff; Dive Victoria Group shop for fills
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.auscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.