Meet the site
Curlewis is a quiet north-facing beach on the outer harbour of Corio Bay, reached by a dead-end road through the market gardens and vineyards between Geelong and Drysdale, and it is one of the Bellarine's lesser-known shallow shore dives. The Scuba Doctor calls it a delightful shore diving and snorkelling site, and the description is apt: a gently shelving sand bottom with seagrass, hydroid beds and patches of low rock and shell reef in 1-4 m, sheltered from the prevailing southerlies by the land behind it. The attraction is small life. Seahorses and pipefish live in the seagrass and among the hydroids, nudibranchs graze the hydroid colonies, globefish hover over the weed, southern fiddler rays and stingarees rest on the sand, and octopus, dumpling squid and flathead appear at night, when the site is at its best. Fish are few and small, but the invertebrate and syngnathid life is as good as at the Clifton Springs pier ruins a few kilometres east, with which it shares a character. There are no facilities and no crowds; on a weekday you will have the beach to yourself. It is very shallow, so it is a high-tide site, and it is realistically a snorkel or a long, slow, shallow dive rather than anything with depth. For Geelong and Bellarine divers it is a reliable refuge in a southerly, a good first night dive and a fine place to practise macro photography, and the Wilson Spit and Moolap shellfish reefs lie a few kilometres offshore for those with a boat.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Curlewis is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform 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 Curlewis 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 Curlewis 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, globefish, southern fiddler rays, stingarees, octopus, dumpling squid, flathead, hydroids and seagrass fauna
Location
North-facing beach and shallow reef at the end of Grand Scenic Drive, Curlewis, on the southern shore of Corio Bay's outer harbour between Geelong and Clifton Springs.
Facilities nearby
Informal free parking at the end of Grand Scenic Drive; no toilets (nearest at Clifton Springs); Sands Caravan Park nearby; nearest air fills Bay City Scuba, Geelong
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.