Meet the site
The Steamship Pier at Clifton Springs, also called the Long Pier, was built in 1890 to bring bay steamers full of holidaymakers to the Clifton Springs mineral springs and hotel. A trolley on iron rails carried passengers along the pier to the shore, where carriages took them up the bluff to the resort. The hotel burnt down in the 1920s, the steamer trade died and the pier decayed, but its remains are significant enough to be listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (H2088), and they make a shallow, atmospheric shore dive. The stumps of the piles run out from the beach in a long line across a sand and seagrass bottom that only reaches about 4 m, with rails, fittings, broken timber and rubble scattered around them. As at the neighbouring ruins, the old structure is a magnet for small life: seahorses and pipefish cling to the weed on the stumps, nudibranchs graze the hydroids, stingarees and fiddler rays lie on the sand, blennies and gobies live in the cracks and octopus and dumpling squid come out at night. Bottle hunting is a local tradition but digging destroys the visibility and is discouraged; the site is also heritage-protected, so nothing should be removed. It is sheltered from southerlies, quiet, and best at high tide, and it is described by The Scuba Doctor as a delightful shore dive, a nice night dive and suitable for snorkellers. Combine it with the Short Pier and baths pier ruins 600 m west and the Curlewis beach further west for a low-key day of Corio Bay shore diving that is more about history and macro than fish.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Clifton Springs Steamship Pier is recorded as Jetty/Pier 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 Clifton Springs Steamship Pier 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 Clifton Springs Steamship Pier 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, stingarees, southern fiddler rays, blennies, gobies, octopus, dumpling squid, hydroids and sponges on the old piles
Location
Ruins of the 1890 steamer pier below the Clifton Springs foreshore, 600 m east of the boat harbour and the other pier ruins, on the southern shore of Corio Bay's outer harbour; listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
Facilities nearby
Free roadside parking on Beacon Point Road; toilets at Clifton Springs boat harbour 600 m west; shops at Clifton Springs; 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.auscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.