Meet the site
Corinella Jetty is a small pier on the eastern shore of Western Port, in the village that was the site of Victoria's short-lived 1826 military settlement at Settlement Point, and it is listed by Scuba Doctor as a 3–8 m pier dive for Advanced divers with a candid note that visibility is generally poor and the site appeals primarily to fossickers searching the bottom. That is a fair summary. The jetty is a robust concrete and timber structure with an L-shaped end and a lower landing, sitting beside the Corinella boat ramp and the French Island barge terminal, and the water around it is the turbid, tide-driven water of Western Port's eastern arm – rarely more than a few metres of visibility and often less. What it offers is a sheltered, easy-access pier with reasonable pylon growth (sponges, ascidians, mussels and tubeworms), the usual pier fauna of crabs, shrimp, blennies, leatherjackets, cowfish and the occasional seahorse, rays and flathead on the mud and sand, and a bottom that, because the jetty and its predecessors have served the village since the nineteenth century, yields old bottles, crockery and fishing relics to divers who search carefully. The name Corinella is recorded as an Aboriginal word meaning running water, which is apt: the tide runs hard past the jetty and the dive has to be timed for the slack at the end of the flood. It is not a site anyone would travel far for on its own, but for divers living in the south-east suburbs or Bass Coast it is a quick, low-effort dive when the coast is blown out, a place to practise low-visibility and current skills, and a reliable relic hunt. It sits within the Western Port Ramsar wetland and adjacent to seagrass beds that are important nursery habitat, so divers should avoid disturbing the bottom more than necessary and take only rubbish and genuine relics.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Corinella Jetty is recorded as Jetty/Pier in Phillip Island & Western Port. 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
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 Corinella Jetty 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 Corinella Jetty 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
Encrusting sponges, ascidians, mussels and tubeworms on pylons, crabs and shrimp, blennies, leatherjackets, cowfish, occasional seahorses, rays, flathead, seagrass edge fauna
Location
Concrete and timber jetty at the end of Peters Street, Corinella, on the eastern shore of Western Port opposite French Island; adjacent to the boat ramp and ferry terminal.
Facilities nearby
Car park, boat ramp, public toilets and picnic area at the Corinella foreshore; general store in the village; nearest air fills in Melbourne's south-east
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.