Meet the site
The Popes Eye Anchor Farm is one of the more unusual dive sites in Victoria: an outdoor museum of ships' anchors laid on the sand 88 m north of the Popes Eye annulus. When the Port of Melbourne's Channel Deepening Project dredged the shipping channels in 2008–09, the survey and dredging work turned up a series of large historic anchors lost by nineteenth- and early twentieth-century vessels in the South and Port Melbourne channels. Rather than destroy or bury them, the anchors – about thirteen in all – were relocated to this spot in 9–11 m beside the marine reserve, with two plaques explaining them.
The Scuba Doctor listing names some of the individual pieces: the South Channel Anchor, a Rogers Patent type; South Channel Anchors 3 and 4; a Port Melbourne Channel Admiralty anchor of the classic stocked pattern; and a Port Melbourne Channel Trotman anchor, the pivoting-arm design of the 1850s. Each is several metres long and they now sit half-buried in sand, growing sponges and hydroids and sheltering leatherjackets, goatfish, octopus and the occasional blue devil. The seahorses and pipefish of the West Channel sand are found in the growth on the flukes. Seals and cuttlefish wander over from the annulus.
The centre mark covers seven of the anchors; the others must be found by searching, which turns the dive into a simple navigation exercise in shallow water. The one hard rule is tidal. The listing is blunt that the current here runs very fast because the water is shallow and there is no structure to hide behind, and that slack water is a must – a contrast with the annulus itself, which can be dived on a running tide. It suits Open Water divers, photographers who like industrial subjects, and anyone with an interest in the maritime history of the channels.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Popes Eye Anchor Farm is recorded as Artificial Reef in Port Phillip Heads. The listed access is boat. 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.
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 Popes Eye Anchor Farm 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 Popes Eye Anchor Farm 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
Sponges and hydroids on the anchors, leatherjackets, bluespotted goatfish, octopus, southern blue devil, seahorses and pipefish, giant cuttlefish, Australian fur seal
Location
A collection of about 13 heritage ships' anchors laid on the sand 88 m north of the Popes Eye annulus, on the West Channel bank.
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.
