South Channel Fort

Site layout:
At the Northern edge of the South Channel

Points of interest:
-Man-made island built early 1900's
-Built to defend Melbourne from ships entering via the South Channel
-Barges ferried rocks from nearby quarries to form foundations
-Steel and concrete used to build an underground fortress
-Tunnels still intact
-Nesting ground for many species of seabird
-Large granite boulders form caves and hiding places for a variety of marine life
-Great for macro photography
-At landing jetty drops quickly to 12m
-New jetty built 2000
-Jetty pylons provide a nursery for Old Wife fish

Bottom composition: Sea grass, rocky reef, sandy/muddy near jetty
Water movement/currents: Best dived on slack water, however you can dive on an ebbing or flooding tide provided you stay on the lee side
Hazards: Current, boats