Pope's Eye
Pope's Eye
4.5
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
49 within 3 miles
Attractions
50 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
18 reviews
Excellent
7
Very good
9
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Janne
Melbourne, Australia16 contributions
Jan 2014 • Family
Pope’s Eye is a artificial structure protruding above the water surface. It is composed of bluestone boulders laid in a semi-circular ring. Originally intended to become one of the fortresses guarding the entrance to Port Phillip, however it was never completed. Today this structure provides a safe anchorage for pleasure craft. It is about 1.5m deep within the ring and drops off to about 10m around the outside.
Popes Eye is a favourite location for divers and snorkellers due to the protection it provides from tidal currents. It is a fascinating dive and snorkel site for both the experienced and novice. Beneath the kelp a magnificent and colour marine environment awaits. Pope’s Eye supports a huge variety of species including colourful reef fish, octopus, featherstars, cuttlefish, seals and gorgonian corals.
Popes Eye is also a nesting ground for Gannets. It is, in fact, one of the few man made structure in the world where this species will breed. It is a sight to be seen when the chicks hatch and their parents are feeding and guarding their young.
Close by is also another man made structure for the seals of the bay to rest and for us to observe them swimming and sleeping.
Popes Eye is a favourite location for divers and snorkellers due to the protection it provides from tidal currents. It is a fascinating dive and snorkel site for both the experienced and novice. Beneath the kelp a magnificent and colour marine environment awaits. Pope’s Eye supports a huge variety of species including colourful reef fish, octopus, featherstars, cuttlefish, seals and gorgonian corals.
Popes Eye is also a nesting ground for Gannets. It is, in fact, one of the few man made structure in the world where this species will breed. It is a sight to be seen when the chicks hatch and their parents are feeding and guarding their young.
Close by is also another man made structure for the seals of the bay to rest and for us to observe them swimming and sleeping.
Written 5 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kazebear
Bendigo, Australia386 contributions
Feb 2016 • Couples
have boated here a few times but on our last occasion there where no other boats anchored and we discovered a reef that goes right around the popes eye where the boats are normally anchored the depth was great and I saw the most amazing sealife and plants! well worth the trip out here!
Written 21 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terry M
Stawell, Australia49 contributions
Jun 2018
Australia's smallest marine park is well worth a visit, lots of marine life and an interesting history.
Written 10 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fred Nerk
Vermont South, Australia172 contributions
Feb 2018 • Friends
We visited by private speed boat out of Sorrento and found around 7 boats already moored in the eye. It’s quite interesting to visit and see all the breeding Gannets and the occasional cormorant. The water is about 2m deep and quite clear and warm. It’s protected from strong currents and is popular with snorkellers as it is an uncompleted foundation for an island fort quite near to the heads of Port Philip bay.
Written 31 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oldjack
Greater Melbourne, Australia29,084 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
The Pope's Eye is best seen from the west direction Sea Road Ferry (Sorrento to Queenscliff) . It was built in the 1880's by dumping bluestone rocks on a sand bar 12 meter deep as a foundation for a Fort to protect Port Phillip Bay some 7 KM from the heads and 3 KM from Queenscliff. The same engineers and construction company built the Fort at Queenscliff however the Pope's Eye was never completed as technology changed and there was no need for such a fort. It is now a haven for birds.
Written 18 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SueMAustralia
Australia44 contributions
Feb 2016 • Family
We visited with a group on a tour, but enjoyed the sheltered water to snorkel and see the kelp and surprisingly colourful reef fish as well as the Gannets and Black-Faced Cormorants resting or nesting on the rocks.
Written 2 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A T
Melbourne, Australia84 contributions
Dec 2015
Popes Eye is a favourite location of divers and snorkelers cause of the protection it provides from tidal currents and because of this many "SCUBA Clubs" find to use this site for "Beginners" first open water dive("Like myself'). It is a fascinating dive and snorkel site for both experienced and novice water goers.
Written 17 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David D
Melbourne, Australia40 contributions
Jan 2015 • Family
Seems amazing you are in the middle of the bay and you can snorkel and see fish and seals only minutes out from Queenscliff. We have visited here with our own boats but we do see tours come out as well. You can anchor up inside the rock wall and then do some snorkelling
Written 10 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Denis C
Melbourne, Australia2,166 contributions
Dec 2014 • Couples
The Searoad Ferries ply the passage passed the Pope's Eye every day between Queenscliff and Sorrento, however if you want to appreciate this magic piece marine park the only way to do it is by a much smaller vessel. We ventured right up to the Eye onboard with South Bay Eco Tours in a purpose built vessel ideal for this 'close up' type of tourism. The Pope's Eye is a monument to the folly of our ancestors who believed that Victoria was at risk of invasion in the 1800s, and this artificial emplacement, together with forts at Point Nepean and Queenscliff, were going to protect us from said invasion. I believe the British had a similar view to protecting Singapore only to be sadly mistaken. Today, the Eye is a haven for a multitude of marine and bird life, and a boon to divers and marine nature lovers. Seals, gannets and migrating birds provide a scenic and photographic wonderland. Well worth the visit. even if done as part of a bay tour, seal watching tour, diving or fishing tour.
Written 11 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EndlessTravels
Greater Melbourne, Australia38,707 contributions
Apr 2019
We visited here as part of a seal cruise with WaterMaarq and it was amazing. We hopped in the water to go snorkeling and saw an array of marine life include a mantra ray. But the highlight was the juvenile seals sunbathing on rocks who jumped into water with us
Written 6 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing