Meet the site
Cattle Jetty Drift follows the shoreline of Ticonderoga Bay past the remains of the cattle jetty that once served the Point Nepean Quarantine Station. The Scuba Doctor listing describes 'an interesting drift dive positioned near the historical remains of the Cattle Jetty', originally built to land livestock destined for the quarantine facilities at Point Nepean – newly arrived stock was held there until it was confirmed free of disease – and gives a depth range of 8–18 m and an Open Water rating.
The jetty itself is long gone above the water, but its stumps and the debris around them remain, and together with the low reef and rubble along this stretch of shore they make a linear habitat that the drift covers well: pile stumps colonised by sponges, ascidians and hydroids, with leatherjackets, wrasse, old wives and bullseyes around them, octopus and cuttlefish in the rubble, and rays, spider crabs and the seahorses and pipefish of the Ticonderoga Bay sand on the flats between. Like the rest of the bay the bottom yields the occasional bottle or fragment from the quarantine era, which must be left where it lies. The deeper outer edge at 15–18 m runs toward the Quarantine Station Reef ridge 380 m to the south-east.
It is a modest, sheltered dive rather than a destination, dived as a drift on a gentle tide or as a reef dive at slack, mostly by the Portsea operators as a second dive or a drift-training site and by private boats on days when the Heads are out. Its appeal is the combination of easy conditions, shelter from southerlies and westerlies, and the sense of the quarantine station's history – the hospital buildings, jetties and cemetery stand on the shore directly above the dive.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Cattle Jetty Drift is recorded as Drift in Port Phillip Heads. The listed access is boat. 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.
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 Cattle Jetty Drift 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 Cattle Jetty Drift 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
Sponges, ascidians and hydroids on pile stumps, leatherjackets, bluethroat wrasse, old wife, bullseyes, octopus, giant cuttlefish, smooth stingray, spider crabs, seahorses and pipefish
Location
Drift past the remains of the old cattle jetty on the western side of Ticonderoga Bay at Point Nepean, 380 m north-west of Quarantine Station Reef.
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.
