Outside of Melbourne located marine national Park Port Phillip", occupying 35, 8 sq. km. water area of the Gulf of between the Bellarine Peninsula and Mornington. The Park consists of six distinct clusters: Swan Bay, mud Islands Islands, capes Lonsdale and Nipen, artificially created fortifications at the entrance to the Bay of Port Phillip, called the "Eye of the Bishop", and is popular with divers deepening of the seabed "Portsea hole.

From ancient times the territory of the Bay of Port Phillip is a popular holiday destination among residents of Melbourne and surrounding cities that creates a certain human-induced pressures on vulnerable marine ecosystems. In addition, the Bay is very developed industry, which also adversely affects the wild nature of these places. In 2002, to protect the inhabitants of the waters of the Gulf, as well as for rational use of recreational resources and was created marine national Park Port Phillip".

Among the ecosystems of the Park, taken under state protection, is a vast underwater meadows, weed-covered rocky reefs in the tidal zone of sandy beaches and habitat of deep-sea animals. Here you can find various kinds of herons, waterfowl, and seabirds, as well as Australian sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, a huge number of fish species and marine invertebrates. The Park has several places of historical, archaeological and cultural value.

Some areas of the Park, for example, Swan Bay and mud Islands Islands, also are protected by the international Ramsar Convention as wetlands of particular importance to migratory birds.

The interesting landscapes of the Park. The above-mentioned dredging "Portsea hole is a part of the flooded valley of the Yarra river, abruptly descending to a depth of 32 meters, while the surrounding depth is barely 12 meters. This area is characterized by an abundance of fish and a variety of algae, sponges and corals. Chosen Portsea hole and divers of all stripes, regularly holding dip here.

5 km from the town of Portsea is the so-called "Eye of the Bishop" - unfinished basement-building at the entrance to the Bay of Port Phillip. It started in 1880-ies, throwing chunks of blue Sandstone into the shallows until then, until it formed a reef in the shape of a horseshoe. Soon, however, the construction was stopped because it appeared that protected the entrance to the Bay and shipping channels are enough guns in the FORTS on the nearby Swan Island and the FORTS of Queenscliff and Nipin. Today on this artificial reef is a navigational beacon. In addition, the reef is an important place for Australian gannets that nest on the rocks. Here roost of Eastern cormorants and get their food ordinary kanesaki.

South shore of Swan Bay attracts hunters from all over the world: it is believed that in one of the coastal caves hidden treasure pirate Benito Bonito, nicknamed "Bloody Sword". Here he hid mined off the West coast of America gold before he was caught and hanged.