Can I swim with weedy sea dragons in Portsea on the Mornington Peninsula?
It is possible to swim with weedy sea dragons – properly known as phyllopteryx taeniolatus – from Portsea beach on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. The sea dragons swimming experience on these Portsea snorkelling tours is an easy day trip from Melbourne.
The Great Barrier Reef may be Australia’s conventional snorkelling hotspot, but Victoria has some unusual competition. The stretch of Port Phillip Bay just off Portsea’s beach has something that Queensland can’t rustle up. It is home to a small colony of phyllopteryx taeniolatus – more colloquially known as the weedy sea dragon. Cousins of the seahorse, these little fellas grow to about 40cm long and look about as bizarre as it’s possible for a fish to get.
Through the wonders of evolution, they’ve developed things that aren’t quite polyps, aren’t quite fins and aren’t quite humps. Whatever they are, they protrude from the body, cunningly making them look like seaweed.
Subsequently, weedy sea dragons can be rather hard to spot, even when you’re swimming above them, keeping an intent lookout.
13 fabulous Mornington Peninsula experiences to book
There are dozens of Mornington Peninsula tours available from Melbourne. The experiences listed below are aimed at those staying on the Peninsula, or with their own transport.
- Half day dolphin and seal swim from Sorrento.
- Peninsula Hot Springs fire, ice and bathe experience.
- Moonlit Sanctuary wildlife park entry ticket.
- Guided e-bike tour in Arthurs Seat State Park and beyond.
- Wildlife kayaking tour from Portsea.
- Waterbike tour from Mornington.
- Point Nepean National Park bike hire.
- French cooking class in Fingal.
- Dolphin and seal watching cruise from Sorrento.
- Mornington Peninsula wineries hop-on, hop-off bus.
- Montalto Vineyard discovery wine-tasting with lunch.
- Enchanted Garden entry ticket.
- Snorkelling with sea dragons in Portsea.
Portsea snorkelling tours
Bayplay Adventure Tours runs snorkelling tours in Portsea, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, that offer a weedy sea dragons swimming experience.
From the beach, participants swim over to the buoy that marks the outer edge of the mini-marina. A small reef lined with luxuriant eel grass makes this area a prime habitat for all manner of temperate weather-loving fish, and a fair few stingrays that hang out on the bottom minding their own business.
The secret to spotting the weedy sea dragons, is to stay still and just fix your gaze on a patch of grass. They’re most easily seen when they move across a patch that’s otherwise staying still.
When you see them, you’ll spot slender body moving in a wave-like motion, gently gliding above the seabed.
From the top, the weedy sea dragons look entirely black, but duck down and it’s possible to see the vivid pinks and yellows that make up their bodies.
But these are not mighty dragons. In fact, they’re extraordinary weak – and hopeless swimmers. They can’t fight swells as waves come into the beach and are helplessly pushed along by them. That’s why they seek peaceful, secluded spots such as Port Phillip Bay to live in.
Portsea is about 120km out of Melbourne CBD, an easy day trip on the southern fringes of Port Phillip Bay. But it’s possible to take to the water much closer to the heart of the action. The Portsea snorkelling tours, allowing you to swim with weedy sea dragons, cost $99 and last around two hours.
Elsewhere on the Mornington Peninsula, you can go swimming with seals from Sorrento (departure point for the Queenscliff ferry) or bathing at Peninsula Hot Springs. Thirstier travellers may be more interested in the Polperro Winery and Montalto Winery.
More animals to swim with in Australia
Whale sharks on the Ningaloo Reef