Overview
Swim alongside playful dolphins and seals, or take a Port Phillip Bay cruise and watch as these frisky, friendly mammals frolic beside your boat.
Stand on the shore of the bay and get a glimpse of dolphins that you won't see anywhere else, including bottlenose dolphins along with the common variety. If you're after a closer look, join a bay cruise run by specially licensed operators or look out for dolphins hitching a ride on the bow wave ahead of the Sorrento Car And Passenger Ferry to and from Queenscliff.
Swim with the dolphins
Join local tour operators on a dolphin-watching cruise, donning snorkels and wetsuits to dive in among the friendly mammals. The half-day tours run from October to April, when sightings are more prevalent.
Make sure you book a tour with a licensed operator that follows the strict guidelines implemented to protect the dolphins, which are vulnerable to extinction. There are currently approximately only 150 bottlenose dolphins living in the bay.
You'll also get to spend time with the bay's colony of Australian fur seals, which loll around at Chinaman's Hat and are happy to share their watery world.
On the lakes
While most dolphin tours operate in Port Phillip Bay, the Gippsland Lakes are home to the rare and endangered burranun dolphin. Take the boat out or join a cruise and keep an eye out for their friendly faces popping out above the waves.
