Meet the site
Kerferd Road Pier is the pier most Melbourne divers pass on the way to somewhere else, yet it is a genuinely useful shallow site 20 minutes from the CBD. The pier dates from 1889 and was rebuilt in 2019 with most of its timber decking, many piles and the handrails replaced, so the structure is sound and well lit at night. It extends about 250 m from the Albert Park foreshore, with the Albert Park Yachting and Angling Club at its landward end. The dive itself is simple: a sandy, gently sloping bottom that reaches about 5 m at the outer piles, with a thin covering of weed beside the structure and clean sand beyond. The interest is on and around the pylons, where mussels, sea squirts and tubeworms host blennies, cardinalfish, small leatherjackets and toadfish, and where a patient search of the weed and debris turns up short-head seahorses, pipefish, decorator crabs and, at night, octopus, dumpling squid and small stingarees. Numbers are modest compared with the peninsula piers; the appeal is proximity and convenience rather than spectacle. Because the bottom is fine silt, visibility is fragile, and the site is better treated as a critter hunt or a snorkel than as a scenic dive. It is a good place for a first night dive, for testing new or serviced gear, for refreshers, and for snorkelling families, and the yacht club precinct means toilets, cafes and parking are all within a short walk. Lagoon Pier is about 1 km to the north-west and St Kilda Pier about 2 km south-east, so it is easy to combine two of the three in a morning without moving the car far.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Kerferd Road Pier is recorded as Jetty/Pier in Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay. 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.
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 Kerferd Road Pier 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 Kerferd Road Pier 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 (short-head), pipefish, octopus, dumpling squid, Tasmanian blennies, southern cardinalfish, leatherjackets, toadfish, decorator crabs, sea stars, stingarees at night
Location
250 m timber pier off Beaconsfield Parade opposite Kerferd Road at Albert Park beach, about 1 km south-east of Lagoon Pier, inner Melbourne bayside.
Facilities nearby
Metered parking on Beaconsfield Parade; public toilets; cafes and restaurants on Victoria Avenue and Bridport Street; yacht club; nearest air fills Dive Victoria Group or Scuba Culture
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.
