Meet the site
South of Balcombe Point the Mount Martha shoreline changes from beach to a long run of low cliffs that continues for about 8 km to Martha Point and the Safety Beach marina. The Scuba Doctor lists five shore dives along this stretch, each named for the street whose creek gully gives access – Deakin Drive, Hearn Road, Stanley Crescent, Burdoo Way and Ian Road – and describes them all as 3–5 m shore dives with fairly easy track access. Deakin Drive is the northern-most and the closest to Mount Martha village and Balcombe Creek, which makes it the first choice for anyone coming from Mornington and the one most affected by creek run-off after rain. What lies below is a shallow sandstone and basalt platform reef fringing the cliff foot: ledges and undercuts a metre or two high, boulder falls from the cliff, brown algae and Sargassum on the rock, seagrass on the sand between. The fish are those of any rocky shore in the eastern bay – magpie perch, old wives, zebrafish, leatherjackets, hulafish and bullseyes under the ledges – with decorator crabs, octopus and abalone in the crevices, rays and flathead on the sand and giant cuttlefish inshore in winter. The attraction is solitude and unexplored reef within an hour of Melbourne, at a depth that allows very long dives; the drawback is that there is nothing to aim for, no facilities and a genuine exposure to westerly weather. These are sites for self-sufficient shore divers who enjoy poking along a coastline with a flag and a camera, and for local snorkellers. Nobody should drive far for them, but a diver already at Mount Martha on a still, high-tide morning with an easterly can have several kilometres of reef entirely to themselves.
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, Deakin Drive 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, Deakin Drive 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, Deakin Drive 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
Northern-most of the five creek-gully shore dives along the 8 km of low cliffs between Balcombe Point and Martha Point, Mount Martha, below the Esplanade at Deakin Drive; Hearn Road is 820 m to the south-west.
Facilities nearby
None at the gullies; 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.