Devils Drop Off

Wall Dive | Boat access

Devil's Drop Off Dive | © Ian Scholey

Depth: 12 m (39 ft) to 55 m (180 ft)

Devil's Drop Off (aka Devil's Dropoff) is one of the most popular dive sites on Lonsdale Wall. This site begins with a huge drop-off from 12 to 30 metres and continues with a series of ledges, overhangs and swim throughs. If you are certified to go deeper, you can explore further as the site gently slopes to 55 metres plus.

The dive site is named Devil's Drop Off after the Southern Blue Devil fish which can be spotted all along the wall here. Their placid nature and vibrant blue colour also make them great for photography. Devil's Drop Off is also a good spot to see Longsnout Boarfish, Port Jackson Shark, Southern Fiddler Ray (aka Banjo Shark) and big rays so keep your eyes open. You will also come across many other species of marine life here as the site lies in the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park.

At 27 metres there is a long overhang to follow covered in a large variety of soft corals and small fans. A spectacular dive site with something for everyone.

Dive charter boats regularly schedule dives at Devil's Dropoff, heading out from Portsea and Queenscliff. Private dive boats usually launch at the Sorrento Boat Ramp or the Queenscliff Boat Ramp.

The Rip & Tides Warning: Always keep an eye on sea conditions throughout any shore or boat dive within "The Rip" (aka "The Heads"). This is a dangerous stretch of water, where Bass Straight meets Port Phillip, which has claimed many ships and lives. Please read the warnings on the web page diving-the-rip before diving or snorkelling this site.

Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park

This site lies in the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park. 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, and Portsea Hole.

Thirty-one of the 120 shipwrecks known to have occurred within a 10 nautical mile radius of Port Phillip Heads are thought to be within the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park in Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean.

Aboriginal tradition indicates that the Bellarine Peninsula side of the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park is part of Country of the Wathaurung people, and the Mornington Peninsula side, including Mud Islands, is part of Country of the Boon Wurrung people.

See also, Parks Victoria: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park,
Park Note: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park,
Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park - Map,
Divers Guide - Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park,
Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park Identification Booklet, and
Taxonomic Toolkit for the Marine Life of Port Phillip Bay.

Port Phillip Heads Bathymetry
Source: Parks Victoria

Point Lonsdale Bathymetry
Source: Parks Victoria

Point Nepean Bathymetry
Source: Parks Victoria

Popes Eye Bathymetry
Source: Parks Victoria

Portsea Hole Bathymetry
Source: Parks Victoria

Mud Islands Bathymetry
Source: Parks Victoria

You are not permitted to carry a spear gun while snorkelling or scuba diving in Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park.

Boon Wurrung / Bunurong country

Traditional Owners — This dive site is in the traditional Country of the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. This truly ancient Country includes parts of Port Phillip, from the Werribee River in the north-west, down to Wilson's Promontory in the south-east, including the Mornington Peninsula, French Island and Phillip Island, plus Western Port. We wish to acknowledge the Boon Wurrung as Traditional Owners. We pay respect to their Ancestors and their Elders, past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Bunjil the Creator Spirit of this beautiful land, who travels as an eagle, and Waarn, who protects the waterways and travels as a crow, and thank them for continuing to watch over this Country today and beyond.

 

Devils Drop Off Location Map

Latitude: 38° 17.602′ S   (38.293367° S / 38° 17′ 36.12″ S)
Longitude: 144° 38.658′ E   (144.6443° E / 144° 38′ 39.48″ E)
Datum: WGS84 | Google Map
Added: 2012-07-22 09:00:00 GMT, Last updated: 2022-04-06 20:51:03 GMT
Source: Unknown (believed to be incorrect coordinates)
Nearest Neighbour: The Abyss, 58 m, bearing 307°, NW
Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park.
Depth: 12 to 55 m.
Dive only on: SWE.

DISCLAIMER: No claim is made by The Scuba Doctor as to the accuracy of the dive site coordinates listed here. Should anyone decide to use these GPS marks to locate and dive on a site, they do so entirely at their own risk. Always verify against other sources.

The marks come from numerous sources including commercial operators, independent dive clubs, reference works, and active divers. Some are known to be accurate, while others may not be. Some GPS marks may even have come from maps using the AGD66 datum, and thus may need be converted to the WGS84 datum. To distinguish between the possible accuracy of the dive site marks, we've tried to give each mark a source of GPS, Google Earth, or unknown.