Meet the site
Eagle Rock is the 20 m volcanic stack capped with limestone that stands off Split Point at Aireys Inlet, directly below the lighthouse, and the 17.9 hectare marine sanctuary named for it protects the base of the point between Castle Rock and Sentinel Rock out to about 300 m offshore. Beside the stack is Table Rock, a black basalt platform levelled by the waves; the whole site is a rare outcrop of volcanic rock on a limestone coast, with 20-30 m bluffs, rock platforms, reefs and sea stacks. Parks Victoria's description is candid: when conditions are calm the sanctuary offers great diving and snorkelling along the edge of the platforms and reef, but conditions are often unsuitable because of the high wave energy of this coastline. When it is calm, the dive follows the platform edges and reef around the stacks in 1-10 m through bull kelp and crayweed that thrive in the breaking waves, over rock covered in sea tulips and encrusting sponges. Twenty-five fish species are recorded, among them blue-throat wrasse, rosy wrasse, sea sweep, herring cale and scalyfin, with Port Jackson sharks, sparsely-spotted stingarees and rusty catsharks under the ledges and on the sand, banjo sharks, stingrays, southern rock lobster, octopus, decorator crabs and sea stars in the reef, and Australian fur seals hauling out on the outer rocks. Blue-ringed octopus live in the rock pools. The site is entered from Step Beach below the lighthouse lookouts or from the Painkalac Creek beach to the south-west, both involving cliff paths and platforms, and it is emphatically a calm-weather dive: surging swell, rogue waves, currents and undertows are all documented, and the platforms are slippery and exposed. For divers and snorkellers who catch it right it is one of the most scenic shallow dives in Victoria, with the lighthouse above, the stacks around and seals in the water, and the sanctuary status means the crays and fish are undisturbed. Eagle Nest Reef and Sandy Gully lie to the north-east for the same conditions.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Eagle Rock, Aireys Inlet is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Surf Coast & Great Ocean Road. 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.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
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 Eagle Rock, Aireys Inlet 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 Eagle Rock, Aireys Inlet 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
Blue-throat wrasse, rosy wrasse, sea sweep, herring cale, scalyfin, Port Jackson sharks, sparsely-spotted stingarees, rusty catsharks, southern fiddler rays (banjo sharks), stingrays, southern rock lobster, octopus, decorator crabs, sea stars, Australian fur seals, sea tulips, encrusting sponges, bull kelp, crayweed, blue-ringed octopus in rock pools
Location
17.9 ha marine sanctuary around the base of Split Point at Aireys Inlet, between Castle Rock and Sentinel Rock and extending about 300 m offshore, named for the 20 m volcanic stack of Eagle Rock beside the black basalt platform of Table Rock, below the Split Point lighthouse.
Facilities nearby
Free car park at the Split Point lighthouse (Federal Street); public toilets at the lighthouse and foreshore; lighthouse cafe and Aireys Inlet shops; 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.auparks.vic.gov.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.