Meet the site
Frankston Reef sits under Olivers Hill, the sandstone bluff that marks the end of Frankston's flat beach and the beginning of the Mount Eliza cliff coast. It is an unglamorous, seldom-mentioned shore dive – The Scuba Doctor lists it as a shallow reef of 2–6 m suitable for Open Water divers – but it is one of the few pieces of natural hard bottom on the bay's north-eastern shore between Mordialloc and Mount Eliza, and that alone gives it more life than the surrounding sand. The reef is low-relief sandstone and rubble with ledges undercut by wave action, patches of brown kelp and Sargassum, and seagrass meadows on the sand flats inshore. Typical residents are the standard Port Phillip cast: southern hulafish and bullseyes under the ledges, magpie perch, zebrafish, old wives, leatherjackets, dusky morwong on the sand, and octopus and decorator crabs among the rubble. Smooth stingrays and fiddler rays work the sand edge, and in late autumn the reef edge is one of the places spider crabs pass on their way along the coast. It is a site for divers who have exhausted the piers and want a quiet, unstructured poke around close to home, or for Frankston clubs running a shore dive when the pier is crowded. Being close to a busy boat ramp, it is not a place to dive without a flag, and its very modest depth means it is really a long shallow snorkel with tanks. There is no infrastructure specific to divers; you gear up in the ramp car park and walk down. On a calm winter morning with an easterly, however, it offers surprisingly clear water, empty of people, and a reasonable chance of rays and cuttlefish – a fair reward for a five-minute detour off the Nepean Highway.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Frankston Reef, Olivers Hill 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.
- 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.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
- 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 Frankston Reef, Olivers Hill 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 Frankston Reef, Olivers Hill 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
Smooth stingray, southern fiddler ray, giant cuttlefish (winter), Maori octopus, giant spider crab (autumn), magpie perch, old wife, zebrafish, dusky morwong, leatherjackets, southern hulafish, seagrass and Sargassum
Location
Shallow rock reef below Olivers Hill on the southern edge of Frankston, about 1.3 km south-south-west of Frankston Pier, at the start of the Mount Eliza cliffs.
Facilities nearby
Boat-ramp car park (free but busy), toilets at the ramp, cafés in Frankston 1.5 km north; air fills at Aquability or Diveline in Frankston.
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.