The park is an internationally recognised dive site, offering excellent diving and snorkelling opportunities for varying levels of experience. The park is made up …
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Home > Explore > Bays and rivers map > Port Phillip > Things to do > Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park
Going Fishing?
Fishing is prohibited in marine national parks and sanctuaries. The Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide app includes a GPS locater to alert you to all the park boundaries.
Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park
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Ranger guided activities
5 months ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Unknown
Pelican (photo: Mark Rodrigue)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Mud Islands
Senator Wrasse (photo: Julian Finn)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Pope's Eye
Sea Star (photo: Jonathan Stevenson)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Pope's Eye
Scenery (photo: Mark Rodrigue)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Mud Islands
Hydroids (photo: Don Love)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Point Lonsdale
Lighthouse (photo: Don Love)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Point Lonsdale
Port Jackson Shark (photo: Amelia Fowles)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Point Nepean
Blue Ring Octopus (photo: Don Love)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Point Nepean
Australasian Gannets (photo: Jonathan Stevenson)
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Pope's Eye
Scenery
1 year ago from Claire HarveyParks Victoria
Location: Mud Islands
Diving with the seals
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park
Swan Bay
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Swan Bay
Swan Bay
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Swan Bay
Point Nepean
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Point Nepean
The Weedy Seadragon (photo: Bill Boyle)
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Point Lonsdale
Point Lonsdale
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Point Lonsdale
Point Lonsdale
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Point Lonsdale
Diving at Pope's Eye
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Pope's Eye
Australasian Gannets
1 year ago from Parks Victoria
Location: Pope's Eye
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Change of conditions
- No change of conditions apply
Bird watching
Canoeing
Short walk
Sight-seeing
Snorkelling/SCUBA Diving
Surfing
Swimming
Yachting/Sailing
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- Established
- November 2002
- Area
- 3580ha
The park is an internationally recognised dive site, offering excellent diving and snorkelling opportunities for varying levels of experience.
The park is made up of six separate marine areas around the southern end of Port Phillip:
- Swan Bay
- Mud Islands
- Point Lonsdale
- Point Nepean
- Popes Eye
- Portsea Hole
The habitats found within this park are diverse, ranging from mudflats and seagrass meadows to deep and shallow reefs, rocky shores and beautiful pelagic waters. The variety of habitats, along with the central Victorian location, results in the presence of a great abundance of marine species.
The area marks the end of the range for some animals and plants that prefer the cold waters of western Victoria, but it also supports warmth-loving species from eastern Australia that can survive in the bay's relatively calm, shallow waters.
A high proportion of Victorian species of marine flora and fauna are represented in the Port Phillip Head's region.
Access
Swan Bay and Point Lonsdale are accessible by either shore or boat, whereas Portsea Hole, Point Nepean, Pope’s Eye and Mud Islands are only accessible by boat. Queenscliff, Swan Bay and Portsea all have launching points.
Aboriginal Traditional Owners
Parks Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Victoria - including its parks and reserves. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters.
Indigenous tradition indicates that the Bellarine Peninsula side of the Marine National Park is part of the Country of the Wathaurong, and the Mornington Peninsula side of the Marine National Park, including Mud Islands, is part of Country of the Boonwurrung.
Further information is available from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria AAV and Native Title Services Victoria
Related publications
- Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Coordinates (PDF File 256.7 KB)
- Park note - Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park (PDF File 460.6 KB)
- Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park Management Plan (PDF File 3.9 MB)
- Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park – Point Lonsdale - Marine Natural Values Study (PDF File 1.8 MB)
Visitor experiences
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Helicopter trial to control feral goats
07 Jun 2013
Parks Victoria is planning to conduct a pilot aerial shooting program to control the number of feral goats in Warby-Ovens National Park and Mount Mitta Mitta (Mittamatite) Regional Park from 11-13 June, pending suitable conditions. Mount Mitta Mitta (Mittamatite) Regional Park and a section of the Warby-Ovens National Park will …