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OCEAN EXPERIENCES · THE BELLARINE

Urchin Shore Freedive

Come for a relaxed shore freedive with our local crew. Explore the reef around Portarlington, take a closer look at sea urchins and enjoy time in the water with your dive buddies.

Book your dive

Price per person$30 AUD · introductory price

DurationApproximately 60 minutes total

LocationPortarlington · Bellarine

IS THIS FOR YOU?

Who it suits.

Level 1 or equivalent qualified open-water freedivers who are comfortable diving with a buddy from shore. A pool-only qualification is not sufficient. This is a guided recreational experience, not a beginner lesson or certification course.

Unsure whether it suits your experience? Have a chat with us before joining.

YOUR TIME WITH US

What to expect.

01

Meet the crew

Get your gear ready and talk through the site, conditions, entry and exit with your instructor.

02

Explore the reef

Dive with your buddy, look for local sea urchins and take in the reef life at a pace that suits your experience.

03

Share the water

Enjoy a small-group dive with instructor supervision and one-up/one-down buddy procedures.

PHOTO IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Tell the urchins apart.

Two species, with different rules. Short-spined urchins can be purple, green or white. Compare spine length and shape, not colour alone. If you are unsure, leave it undisturbed and ask your instructor.

Red-spined sea urchin among reef life at St Leonards, Victoria — **Short-spined urchin**
*Heliocidaris erythrogramma*
Green/red colour form, with shorter solid spines. Included in the combined 40-urchin limit. Photo source

Long-spined black sea urchin, Centrostephanus rodgersii, showing long slender dark spines — **Long-spined black urchin**
*Centrostephanus rodgersii*
Long dark spines, longer than half the shell diameter. A different species with separate catch rules.Photo source · Museums Victoria

Close-up of purple sea urchin spines at St Leonards, Victoria — **Short-spined urchin · purple detail**
*Heliocidaris erythrogramma*
A different colour of the same species. It has the same catch limit. Photo source

Sea urchin surrounded by seaweed and marine life at St Leonards, Victoria — **Short-spined urchin · reef view**
*Heliocidaris erythrogramma*
Another view of the local species. Colour alone is not a reliable identification feature. Photo source

Header and gallery photos: Julian Finn / Museums Victoria, CC BY 4.0. Short-spined photos: St Leonards, Victoria. Black urchin: comparison reference. Images resized for display; header cropped and darkened.

The experience.

A shore freedive focused on sea urchins and local reef life
Maximum four divers per instructor
Instructor-led briefing and group supervision
Approximately one hour including briefing, entry, water time and exit
Sightings and catches are never guaranteed

What to bring.

Bring a wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins, weight system, dive gloves and a catch bag, plus a towel and warm clothing. Equipment hire is not included.

We recommend Wettie 3 mm Workhorse Kevlar Gloves and the Wettie Kina Bag. These are special-order items. Check availability before your dive.

OUR LOCAL REEFS

When the balance tips.

Urchins belong on our local reefs. The problem starts when their numbers get out of balance. Too much grazing can strip away kelp and other seaweeds, leaving bare rocky areas known as urchin barrens. Losing that underwater forest means losing food and shelter for the fish, abalone and other marine life that depend on it.

This is a local issue. Deakin researchers have documented urchin overgrazing and worked on restoring seaweed forests near Portarlington. We'll help you look more closely at the relationship between urchins, kelp and a healthy reef. Our session is a recreational experience; it is not part of Deakin's restoration project.

Learn more: Deakin's Portarlington kelp restoration research · Parks Victoria on urchin barrens.

COLLECTING RESPONSIBLY

Know your urchins. Know your limits.

Our focus is observing sea urchins and understanding the reef. Collecting is only included when we expressly confirm it for your session and the site, access arrangements and fishing rules allow it. A licence or catch limit does not give permission to collect in a protected area. No catch is promised.

Short-spined white or purple urchins

40 per person per day. Possession limit: 40. The combined 40-urchin limit covers species other than long-spined black urchins. Our local Heliocidaris erythrogramma can be purple, green or white.

Long-spined black urchins

Currently no daily catch or possession limit for Centrostephanus rodgersii under the 2026–27 Fisheries Notice. This exception is species-specific. Do not apply it to short-spined purple or green urchins.

No minimum legal size.
No collecting in Port Phillip Bay's protected intertidal zone: from the maximum high-water mark out to where the water is 2 metres deep at any time.
No collecting in Marine National Parks or Sanctuaries.
Keep a lawful catch whole. Roe and other soft tissue must stay inside while in, on or next to Victorian waters.

These are legal maximums, not a target or a promised haul. We may set a lower session limit. Follow your instructor's briefing and confirm species and collection areas before taking anything.

Check VFA's current sea urchin rules · Understand the protected intertidal zone.

Where to get your fishing licence

If you will collect or attempt to collect urchins, hold a current Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence unless you are exempt. Buy directly through Service Victoria or an authorised licence seller, and bring proof of your licence or applicable exemption. A 3-day licence is currently $10 and is separate from the dive price. Check the VFA page for all licence options, current fees and exemptions.

Get a fishing licence

Check licence fees and exemptions with VFA.

Rules and licence fees checked 28 October 2026. Check the official sources before each dive; restrictions and fees can change.

GOOD TO KNOW

Before you join us.

What qualification do I need?

A Level 1 or equivalent open-water freediving qualification, and confidence diving with a buddy from shore. A pool-only qualification is not sufficient. Contact us if you are unsure about your qualification or readiness.

Will we collect sea urchins?

Only when we expressly confirm lawful collection for your session. Read the catch limits, protected-area rules and licence information above before joining us. Otherwise, leave the urchins undisturbed and enjoy observing the reef.

How do I join?

Book online using the live calendar. Our next session is Thursday 29 October 2026, 6:30–7:30 pm AEDT, at Steeles Rocks, Portarlington, with Jake Janson. The introductory price is $30 per person, with a maximum of four divers. We will confirm the final meeting and entry arrangements before you attend.

What if conditions or plans change?

Sessions depend on suitable conditions, instructor availability and required site access arrangements. Conditions or safety requirements may mean a change, postponement or cancellation. See our Terms & Conditions for the full policy and cancellation and rescheduling arrangements.

Complete the required Health, Consent & Risk Acknowledgement before participating. Follow your instructor's directions, buddy procedures and site requirements.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Come explore with us.

Join Jake on Thursday 29 October, 6:30–7:30 pm AEDT, at Steeles Rocks, Portarlington. $30 per person. Select 29 October in the booking calendar to reserve your place.

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