Duration:
2h
For those wishing to see the rare Weedy Sea Dragons in their natural habitat – this is the tour for you! Learn all about the marine life of Port Phillip Bay in a relaxed coastal setting with Bayplay’s professional guides.
Operated By:
Snorkel with the Sea Dragons
Snorkeling is a fun activity for the family – even for non-swimmers!
Tour Details
Your tour begins with a greeting from our friendly and highly experienced guides followed by demonstration on equipment usage and terminology, in water communication and to finish a short presentation on what marine life you can expect to encounter. Once geared up its a short walk to the Portsea Pier and upon entering and gazing beneath the waters surface you will be immediately gliding over the first of many coral beds and sea grass meadows. The mesmerizing underwater world is home to an abundance of Fish, Crabs, Sea Stars, Cuttlefish, Smooth Rays and the famous Weedy Sea Dragons.Join us in the water and see this beautiful part of the world with your own eyes!
Location:
3755 Point Nepean Road, Portsea, Vic, 3944Duration:
Tours take approximately 2.5 hours depending on group size & ability.Inclusions:
Snorkel Instruction, Equipment Hire, Guided Snorkel Tour to the Sea Dragons.(Children under 8 may need their own wetsuit. Please ask at time of booking).
What to Bring/Wear:
Pack for the Beach – bathers, towel, hat & sunscreen as well as a warm, dry change of clothes.Participant Conditions:
The minimum age for participants of this snorkel tour is 6 years. Families with younger children are catered for separately in a tailored tour. Children under 16 years must be accompanied by a paying adult.Non-Swimmers
We understand it may be your first time and we want to ensure you get the most out of your time with us! The option to choose a 30 minute skills session prior to your tour is available to add on to your experience. This additional lesson will run through all the important basics you will need to make the most out of your time on the tour. If you have never snorkeled before or lack confidence in the ocean we highly recommend booking this in.
Prior to Arrival:
Don’t forget to sign your online waiver to jump the queue. SMART
WAIVER
During peak times, travel to the Peninsula can be delayed due to high traffic congestion.
Please allow extra travel time, as well as time to park your vehicle and freshen up so that we may commence your tour as scheduled.
If you arrive late, especially without notice, your tour may be reduced or forfeited.
What to bring
Water-based activities: bathers, towel, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, warm & dry change of clothes.
Land-based activities: towel, hat, sunscreen and closed heel shoes.
Please dress for comfort and for the weather.
Weather
In some instances, weather may change unexpectedly and a tour may need to be rescheduled at the last minute. If you have concerns regarding the weather, please call to discuss, or you can also see our terms and conditions for more information.
PS. The sun shines more in Portsea than Melbourne!
Parking
The Portsea public car park is 2 hour parking from December until April.
All day parking is available in the car park behind the BayPlay shop or on Franklin Rd.
Direction Information: Location
Parking at Point Nepean is available at the Quarantine Station – this can also be busy during peak times.
Medical Information
It is recommended that any guest with a medical condition fill in a medical statement prior to the tour.
Adequate medical advice should be sought prior to any activity including but not limited to the following: asthma, epilepsy, heart or lung conditions, ear injury, pregnancy & seasickness.
Accommodation Packages & Local Attraction Passes
Combine your activity in a package with accommodation.
We have apartments for family holidays & spacious group retreats here above our shop in Portsea.
Terms & Conditions
For details please visit: Terms & Conditions
Medical Information
It is recommended that any guest with a medical condition fill in a medical statement prior to the tour.
Adequate medical advice should be sought prior to any activity including but not limited to the following: asthma, epilepsy, heart or lung conditions, ear injury, pregnancy & seasickness.
Accommodation Packages & Local Attraction Passes
Combine your activity in a package with accommodation.
We have apartments for family holidays & spacious group retreats here above our shop in Portsea.
Terms & Conditions
For details please visit: Terms & Conditions
Share:
The introduction session to snorkeling with seadragons was good, however we had a group where 7/10 were non swimmers and this was predeclared at the time of registration, yet there was only one guide to manage the entire group of 10. 5 of the non swimmers had to stay back as we didn't feel confident the guide would be able handle an adverse situation, with 5 of us not knowing how to swim being taken together. This meant my husband and I had a guided tour that lasted only 10 minutes ( waited from 11- 12:50 on the beach) The guide tried her best, but 1 guide wasn't enough to manage a large group of people who did not know how to swim. The organisation should have had some strategy to ensure she was supported enough to ask for an extra person, especially as we had registered nearly 2 months prior. We were lucky that not a single person had an adverse event, else the outcome would have been life threatening, also owing to the fact that the water was quite rough that day. Was quite disappointed with the entire experience, it wasn't cheap either. Wouldn't recommend for non swimmers unless it's 1-1 or a group smaller than 3
read moreread less
Sasha
28 Apr 2025
My partner and I had an incredible time doing the self guided e-bike ride tour with Bayplay at Portsea. It was my first time using an e-bike and the Bayplay guys, especially Dale, were so friendly, helpful and great at communicating, I was comfortable straight away. Really enjoyed biking through the stunning views and having a little picnic at the top. Definitely worthwhile making great memories with loved ones like this!
read moreread less
Pauleen
09 Mar 2025
We did 2 scuba dives with Brenna and she was great. She helped carry our gear as we have back issues and informed bay play when booking. Initially it was a little odd as we couldn’t change at their premises due to school groups being in the changing area, which is fair enough. They brought suits etc over to us in the park near the pier, so that was fine. Brenna was fun and knowledgeable and answered any questions and assisted as needed.
read moreread less
Lager
22 Feb 2025
Booked a discovery dive with Bayplay and we enjoyed it very much! Instructor Taya has so much patience to guide my friends the basic underwater knowledge and safety. Even thou we didn't see the sea dragon we were looking forward to but the fun dive is amazing! The equipment is well-equipped and we were well taken off. Looking forward to having guided dives in future.
read moreread less
katherine
20 Jan 2025
I booked a guided snorkel for me and my daughter to see sea dragons. The tour was well organized and all the equipment we needed was on hand. Both the guide who went through the info and who took us out were friendly and enthusiastic. We saw 5 weedy sea dragons plus a bunch of other fish and wildlife under the pier! We felt safe and they were good with my primary aged child. Was impressed our guide picked up litter in the ocean as we were diving, obviously caring for the environment. Highly recommended.
read moreread less
Cecilia
17 Jan 2025
We had an amazing SCUBA diving experience. It was our first time, and the guide was super patient helping us get used to diving. We saw some weedy seadragons and some other fishes.
read moreread less
Sarai
28 Feb 2024
Our event (Dolphin Sanctuary Kayak Tour) was cancelled due to inclement (windy) weather. Bayplay notified us by phone the day before. We asked for a cancellation email which was promptly provided. In our circumstances, we preferred a full refund instead of credit for future use and payment was returned within 3 working days. Mersia was very helpful and professional. We didn’t get to do the tour, but 5 stars were warranted. We hope to try again with Bayplay next time.
read moreread less
Adam
26 Feb 2024
We had a great time sea kayaking with Bayplay Adventure Tours today. The guides were knowledgeable and told us some interesting trivia about the local area. it was still a fun time and I’d do it again :D
read moreread less
Sara
27 Jan 2024

read moreread less

900waynes
17 Jan 2024
Had an amazing kayak tour with the team and bay and play. Despite the rough conditions they were able to make the most out of the afternoon with a walk along the beach with interesting information about the area. The guides were very friendly and helpful. There was lots of instructions on how to paddle effectively.
read moreread less
Zoe
16 Jan 2024
Had an amazing kayak tour with the team and bay and play. Despite the rough conditions they were able to make the most out of the afternoon with a walk along the beach with interesting information about the area. The guides were very friendly and helpful. There was lots of instructions on how to paddle effectively.
read moreread less
Zoe
16 Jan 2024
Was given a voucher by my sister who purchased in 2020. Contacted the company 2 weeks post expiry (within the same month) to be told that there could be no extension as company has changed ownership which tbh I find pretty irrelevant. Really disappointed given there were no reminders of the impending expiry as businesses are encouraged to do by ACCC and it was unable to be used during covid. I planned to use last summer but did have broken leg so was looking forward to finally diving again after a number of years. Merely offered me to rebook something on their website. Why would I give more money to a company with so little regard for service. Highly disappointing experience.
read moreread less
Brooke
03 Jan 2024
We had a great time on our guided dive with Bayplay. Our guide Steph was amazing and spotted some incredible things for us like a octopus and even a seahorse (my bucket list animal!) She also gave us some tips for our selfguided snorkeling outing and how to best spot the weedy seadragon.
Snorkeling rental included the wetsuit which was greatly appreciated!
Would definitely book with them again
Snorkeling rental included the wetsuit which was greatly appreciated!
Would definitely book with them again
read moreread less
Daphné
17 Dec 2023
I had the exhilarating experience of cycling around Point Nepean National Park. Armed with the e-bike, those challenging steep hills transformed into enjoyable climbs. The e-bike made all the difference, ensuring that the journey was more about soaking in the views rather than battling the inclines.
read moreread less
Jeannie
18 Oct 2023
HUGE thanks to Dale and everyone at Bayplay - just had the time of my life snorkelling under the Portsea Pier. Hung out with weedy sea dragons, Port Jackson sharks, loads of fish and the biggest school of globe fish I’ve ever seen. Epic!!!! Do yourself a favour - no matter your age or stage, get out there with Bayplay and explore this most magnificent part of Victoria. Thank you Bayplay! Can’t wait to return! Xxx
read moreread less
Juliette
25 Sep 2023
Amazing experience. Awesome fun. Abby and Cameron were friendly, patient, knowledge and well organised, they really know their scuba diving.
I had such a brilliant time, and I can't wait for my next dive! ????
I had such a brilliant time, and I can't wait for my next dive! ????
read moreread less
Kieren
17 Sep 2023
Rented bikes at Point Nepean national park with kids trailer. Booking process itself was smooth and easy. On arrival nobody was at the office and was told we were missed off a list of emails supposedly sent the day before advising of a different pick up point. Waited half an hour for someone to arrive. The bike we had pulling the kids trailer was pretty old and the chain came off. Not ideal when you have 2 small kids in tow. Self directed tour itself was wonderful.
read moreread less
Lucinda
16 Sep 2023
Recently we were at Point Nepean NP and decided to go biking. To avoid carrying bikes all the way, we hired bikes through Bayplay. The booking process was smooth and the staff was extremely helpful in accommodating a bike suitable for kids. On the day, the bike collection point was convenient to reach and in the national park with ample parking space (despite it being a public holiday).
The actual experience of exploring the area was amazing with mesmerizing views and decent roads without other vehicle traffic.
Its a perfect activity to do with kids!!
The actual experience of exploring the area was amazing with mesmerizing views and decent roads without other vehicle traffic.
Its a perfect activity to do with kids!!
read moreread less
Megha
20 Jun 2023
Great experience on the snorkelling with weedy seadragons tour with the guide Eli - he even helped me take some really nice photos of the seadragons. Hope to go on another tour with Bayplay in the future :-)
read moreread less
Rachel
30 Apr 2023
Had a great dive at the Portsea Pier with Bayplay! Saw many leafy sea dragons, 2 different species of rays , and many kinds of fish. Our guide was very pleasant, and the whole experience went off without a hitch. Two people, hiring bcd’s, regs, tanks, and weights for under $300. Was quoted $680 from the scuba doctor in Rye for the same gear and pier dive. So happy we found Bayplay!
read moreread less
Darren
10 Feb 2023
Where do I start?
Kurt, our diving instructor at Bayplay, had a relaxed and welcoming demeanor and wasted no time getting right into the nitty gritty. He was efficient and effective with his curriculum and showed compassion, outstanding patience, and care for each of his students.
His international experiences, frequent travels, adventuring spirit, and deep understanding of self has given him unique perspectives in life, which 100% shows up in how and what he teaches.
While I’m sure other instructors are just as knowledgeable and capable, I believe Kurt gave tips and advice that was just perfect for beginner scuba divers. At the end of the day, I felt safe and in good hands in both confined and open water, and trusted in his ability to remain calm under chaos.
Bayplay itself provided an ultimate adventure experience for me that I can’t thank them enough!! Instructions were straight forward (although I would have liked to know that Medicals were not required for Covid diagnoses if you haven’t had it recently) and for what I got, it was priced exceptionally well.
Wetsuits, jackets, gear, the lot was also included in the package so that was very helpful. If you are able to buy gear elsewhere, it’s probably a good option as the selections were limited at the shops and quite expensive.
If you’re first time divers, skip the upsells for mask cleaners and anti-fog. Toothpaste will clean your mask just as well and spit will keep your mask clear of fog.
Other than that, great place for an excellent experience!! Come here and especially ask to learn from Kurt!!
Kurt, our diving instructor at Bayplay, had a relaxed and welcoming demeanor and wasted no time getting right into the nitty gritty. He was efficient and effective with his curriculum and showed compassion, outstanding patience, and care for each of his students.
His international experiences, frequent travels, adventuring spirit, and deep understanding of self has given him unique perspectives in life, which 100% shows up in how and what he teaches.
While I’m sure other instructors are just as knowledgeable and capable, I believe Kurt gave tips and advice that was just perfect for beginner scuba divers. At the end of the day, I felt safe and in good hands in both confined and open water, and trusted in his ability to remain calm under chaos.
Bayplay itself provided an ultimate adventure experience for me that I can’t thank them enough!! Instructions were straight forward (although I would have liked to know that Medicals were not required for Covid diagnoses if you haven’t had it recently) and for what I got, it was priced exceptionally well.
Wetsuits, jackets, gear, the lot was also included in the package so that was very helpful. If you are able to buy gear elsewhere, it’s probably a good option as the selections were limited at the shops and quite expensive.
If you’re first time divers, skip the upsells for mask cleaners and anti-fog. Toothpaste will clean your mask just as well and spit will keep your mask clear of fog.
Other than that, great place for an excellent experience!! Come here and especially ask to learn from Kurt!!
read moreread less
D
05 Feb 2023

Seeing a weedy sea dragon and a seahorse and diving in kelp for the first time made it an AMAZING DIVE!!!
read moreread less

lovindivin
24 Jan 2023
Awesome time scuba diving today, with Cameron as the guide.
Spotted the Sea Dragons, and plenty of other wonderful creatures.
Highly recommend this company!
Spotted the Sea Dragons, and plenty of other wonderful creatures.
Highly recommend this company!
read moreread less
My
13 Jan 2023
Just had a fantastic day on the dolphin sanctuary kayak tour. Staff were friendly and very informative with regards to the local history and environment. A great way for beginners to try out kayaking so highly recommended.
read moreread less
Chris
05 Jan 2023
Bayplay really made our day! We loved our family snorkel experience and will definitely be back for scuba. Dale and the team were absolutely fantastic and so accommodating, nothing was too much trouble. Well worth it.
read moreread less
vlad
30 Dec 2022
Adventure got cancelled due to bad weather conditions. 20% admission fee on the refund. had another tour in queenscliff, also cancelled. got 100% back. bayplay has really bad refund conditions
read moreread less
Kiyuu
09 Dec 2022
My partner and I did a scuba diving refresher course here. Our instructor Rasmus was thorough, patient, and friendly! It was a small group with just one other person besides ourselves which meant each of us were able to ask lots of questions and get one-on-one help. We finished the course feeling much more confident in our diving skills again! The course included a dive at Blairgowrie Pier. Would recommend!
read moreread less
Anna
19 Nov 2022
Went for a Kayak with dolphin experience and it was so amazing!!! Our Guides Claudia and Sammy were so knowledgeable and hilarious, adding so much fun into this experience!! They even offered us some small snacks during our break and gave us a short tour along the fort Nepean quarantine centre! Highly recommended and definitely will be back again!! We love it!
read moreread less
Natasha
22 Oct 2022
1 million out of 10 experience. Our kayak guides Claudia and Sami were so knowledgeable and gave us a history and cultural tour along with the kayaking. Highly recommend and we will definitely be coming back in the summer. Kayaking was fun but our guides definitely made it an unforgettable day!
read moreread less
Nancy
22 Oct 2022
1 million out of 10 experience. Our kayak guides Claudia and Sami were so knowledgeable and gave us a history and cultural tour along with the kayaking. Highly recommend and we will definitely be coming back in the summer. Kayaking was fun but our guides definitely made it an unforgettable day!
read moreread less
Nancy
22 Oct 2022
Bay play took us (a rather large group) paddle boarding and kept us all entertained and engaged through the 2 and half hour session through a variety of lessons, practise, games and exploration. They selected and excellent spot for teaching the beginners and for the experienced to practise even more as well as how beautiful the area was to explore. They provided good quality boards and wetsuits. Even giving the opportunity to wear beach wind jackets if people didn’t want to wear wetsuits or to provide an extra layer of warmth to the wet suits.. All of the equipment was undamaged and easy to use. The staff were excellent and assisted all participants to the best of their ability even giving a brief history lesson about the bay. Over all it was a great experience and definitely recommend.
read moreread less
Stuart
12 Oct 2022
Thanks for a lovely morning kayaking the bay. We had a great time, the weather was perfect and Beau is a super lovely, friendly and very informative guide. I highly recommend this trip if you are in the area 10/10.
read moreread less
Simone
11 Apr 2022
Bayplay adventure tours is a really great place if you want lessons on ocean activities or if you just want to hire equipment. We hired kayaks from them and even though we hired online they let us change when we got there. The only problem that I had was that we were given kayaks at the shop and had to haul them down to the beach, when other people didn't have to. Overall this is a great place to get swimming gear from and I would definitely recommend.
read moreread less
Nea
30 Jan 2022
We booked a self guided tour on a 2 person kayak. It was so awful. The kayak has no back support and the paddles were useless. Not a great time on the water. On a positive note the staff were absolutely delightful when we arrived.
read moreread less
Mae
26 Jan 2022
Claudia was an absolutely amazing guide for our sea kayaking tour. She was professional, attentive and personable. We had a fantastic time and will definitely be booking more fun with bayplay!
read moreread less
Simona
25 Jan 2022
Great morning out on the water with Elijah. Beautiful weather, good pace and a great guide made for a wonderful experience. Everyone who worked there was lovely and informative. Thanks for a fantastic day - we'll have to head back out for the snorkelling before we leave!
read moreread less
Vis
23 Jan 2022
We had a chaotic experience with bike hire at Point Nepean National Park. We had rescheduled it from Sunday to Tuesday due to poor weather, and the woman on the phone had advised we could pick the bikes up from the visitor centre at 11am. 11am came and went so we gave them a call, and it turns out they don’t do bike pickups there on Tuesdays. The woman was really decent about it and drove the bikes to us. I’d expected that we’d be given assistance with adjusting the bikes but the woman left immediately. We found that the bikes weren’t in great condition and one of the seats couldn’t be adjusted. Luckily it was only slightly too high for me so my partner and I swapped. On top of that I was given an XXL bike helmet, so it was flopping around all day and probably wouldn’t have protected me in a crash. The bikes were fine mechanically otherwise, but they were caked with mud. I would have expected the bikes would be clean for $70. We had a fun time in the end but I just wish it was less stressful, that the bikes were clean, that the seat was adjustable, and that I was provided with a properly fitting helmet.
read moreread less
Cass
23 Dec 2021

We did a guided dive with Tiff at the Sea Dragon Colony dive site under the nearby pier. Tiff was a great guide, and the dive was enjoyable. It was different from other dives we have done, but that is not a bad thing. My wife had equipment issues with her BCD inflation with the LPI, so her buoyancy control suffered. Understandably, she did not enjoy this dive as much.
Prior to this dive, I had never seen a sea dragon in the wild. Now I have seen several of them. Worth it. I have also not see so many puffer fish all together. I missed it, but my wife saw a stingray. The plant life was pretty, and a nice change from all the reef diving we did the week before on a liveaboard. The water is too cold for my taste. It was 66F in and out of the water. We normally dive with a 4/3mm wetsuit, but we definitely used the shop's 7mm suits. By minute 50, I was starting to shiver and was happy to get out of the water.
I wish we had more time in the area to see some of their other popular dive sites (even with the cold water), but we were on a pretty tight schedule. That being said, I recommend Bayplay for diving activities.
read moreread less

cwhatley
16 Jan 2018

read moreread less
Bayplay, Owner at Bayplay-Discover SCUBA Diving!, responded to this review - 2016-04-06
Thanks Marc,
We appreciate the review and hopefully we will see you again for more diving in the future. Kind Regards
The Bayplay Team

Marc_Rudgley
05 Jan 2016

read moreread less
Bayplay, Owner at Bayplay-Discover SCUBA Diving!, responded to this review - 2016-04-06
Thank you so much for your feedback.
We have taken a while to get onto responding to these reviews, but better late than never. We hope to see you again diving soon.
Kind regards
The Bayplay Team

taz4535
02 Nov 2015

We watched the required video and went through safety stuff - this was done properly and professionally. Then we did our basic skills training in the sea as it was nice and calm.
This was followed by a good dive around the pier - saw dragon fish and stingrays.
The instructors (two for three students) were very correct and professional and helpful.
I am now enthused enough to get my certificate and I will be using this company for that.
BayPlay do lots of other activities and have a well-equipped shop.
About 3-4 hrs duration
read moreread less
Bayplay, Owner at Bayplay-Discover SCUBA Diving!, responded to this review - 2016-04-06
Thank you so much for your feedback.
Great that we could get your out diving last minute.
We have taken a while to get onto responding to these reviews, but better late than never. We hope to see you again diving soon.
Kind regards
The Bayplay Team

russjking
24 Mar 2015

A bit more practice in the pool would've been nice.
Awesome experiencing the underwater world!
read moreread less
Bayplay, Owner at Bayplay-Discover SCUBA Diving!, responded to this review - 2016-04-06
Thank you so much for your feedback.
Good to know that you would have like more pool time. We have taken a while to get onto responding to these reviews, but better late than never. We hope to see you again diving soon.
Kind regards
The Bayplay Team

Bunar
04 May 2014

On arrival we filled in some paper work, basicly medical questionars, watched a DVD and answered some basic diving questions, then it was off to the pool for basic training
We blew bubbles let water into our masks and disposed of it whilst underwater, basic survival i guess, and swam around the special dive pool to become familiar with the weightlessness, with a short drive to the Rye's pier and a lot of laughs with the other divers we arrived, geared up and a short walk to the waters edge and we were in the ocean . . . .
Stef the instructor kept a keen eye out for us but was a barrel of laughs once you got to know her, which wasnt long, but she showed us around and under the pier, we saw all sort of plant life fish spiecies crabs and sea horses it was a carnival of colour and life, an experience i would recomend anyone to do there is no comparison, it is a see to believe, and i would recomend Bayplay to anyone, they are friendly have the answers and dont mess around and get you into the action asap with a lot of fun, which basicly is what we want . . . . If its adventure and fun under the sun then it Bayplay cose there number one (corny jingle)
read moreread less

greynurse2
07 Mar 2013