Meet the site
Diamond Bay is the most accessible and most snorkelled of the Sorrento back-beach sites, a compact sandy cove between two rocky points with a staircase from a car park at the end of Diamond Bay Road. The Scuba Doctor gives it 1–10 m and Advanced Open Water, and lists the features that make it more than a beach: rock ledges and overhangs, kelp beds, reefs and small walls, bommies, gullies, cave structures and interesting rock formations, deepening toward the points. Underwater the bay is a sand floor rimmed with limestone reef that rises into small walls and bommies at the points, capped with kelp and cut by gullies. Old wives, boarfish, schooling sweep and zebrafish, wrasse and leatherjackets are constant, crayfish and abalone live in the ledges, and both draughtboard catsharks and Port Jackson sharks rest in the caves; weedy seadragons are seen on the kelp margins. Because the bay is small and enclosed the navigation is simple and the sandy middle offers an easy exit, which is why it is recommended as a first back-beach dive when conditions are perfect; the same sandy bottom, however, means visibility drops quickly when there is any swell, and the points funnel rips. The site is fully exposed to the south-west and the standard requirement applies – flat seas, swell under about 2 m with a long period, light northerly to north-easterly winds, generally after three or four days of northerlies – with an abort if white water is breaking on the reef. Rock fishers use the points and leave line. Diamond Bay suits experienced divers looking for a manageable introduction to Bass Strait shore diving, snorkellers on glassy days, and photographers after kelp and sharks in bright shallow water.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Diamond Bay, Sorrento is recorded as Reef in Mornington Peninsula. 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- 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 Diamond Bay, Sorrento 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 Diamond Bay, Sorrento 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
Southern rock lobster, blacklip abalone, old wife, long-snouted boarfish, sea sweep, zebrafish, bluethroat wrasse, leatherjackets, draughtboard shark, Port Jackson shark, weedy seadragon, kelp, sponges
Location
Small sandy bay between rocky points on the Sorrento ocean coast at the end of Diamond Bay Road, 570 m east of Jubilee Point, backed by high dunes with a staircase to the beach.
Facilities nearby
Free car park at the end of Diamond Bay Road; no toilets or water; cafés in Sorrento; air fills at Bayplay (Portsea) or The Scuba Doctor (Rye).
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.