Meet the site
Burdoo Way is the middle of the five Mount Martha gully dives, sitting almost exactly halfway along the 8 km of low cliffs between Balcombe Point and Martha Point, and The Scuba Doctor's page describes it in the same terms as its neighbours: a 3–5 m shore dive reached by fairly easy track access down a creek gully. Its central position is its only documented distinction, and it is a useful one, because from Burdoo Way a diver can go north toward Hearn Road or south toward Stanley Crescent, each 640 m away, and choose the direction on the day according to which stretch of cliff foot looks calmest. The reef is the same throughout: a shallow platform of sandstone and basalt at the cliff base, undercut into low ledges, strewn with boulders fallen from above, covered in brown algae and Sargassum and interrupted by sandy gullies with seagrass, reaching about 5 m within a short swim of the shore. Magpie perch, old wives, zebrafish, leatherjackets, hulafish and bullseyes are the fish; decorator crabs, small octopus and abalone live in the cracks; fiddler rays, stingarees and flathead settle on the sand; and giant cuttlefish come into the shallows in winter and spring. Spider crabs cross this shore in late autumn on their way south to the piers. Being midway along the cliffs, Burdoo Way is the furthest of the five from both Mount Martha village and the Safety Beach marina, which means the least boat traffic and the longest drive to a toilet. It is a site for self-sufficient shore divers and local snorkellers who want solitude and unvisited reef in shallow, bright water, on a calm high tide with an easterly wind, and it should be left alone in any westerly. It has no facilities, residential parking only and a slippery rock entry, and it rewards a flag, a camera and low expectations of depth.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Mount Martha, Burdoo Way is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform 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.
- 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 Mount Martha, Burdoo Way 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 Mount Martha, Burdoo Way 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
Magpie perch, old wife, zebrafish, leatherjackets, southern hulafish, bullseyes, decorator crab, Maori octopus, blacklip abalone, southern fiddler ray, sand flathead, giant cuttlefish (winter)
Location
Central gully of the five creek-gully shore dives on the Mount Martha cliff coast between Balcombe Point and Martha Point, below the Esplanade at Burdoo Way; 640 m south-west of Hearn Road and 640 m north-east of Stanley Crescent.
Facilities nearby
None at the gully; residential street parking only; toilets and cafés at Mount Martha village and Safety Beach; air fills at Mornington or Rosebud dive shops.
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.