What is a protected zone?
In Victoria there are seven State protected zones in Port Phillip Bay, and one Commonwealth Protected Zone near Port Albert on the east coast. These are all, with the exception of the William Salthouse (1841) and The Hurricane (1868), off-limits to diving, fishing and boating. A permit can be obtained to visit the William Salthouse in Port Phillip Bay, and there are special conditions which apply. The Hurricane protected zone prohibits commercial scallop fishing and dredging but allows recreational fishing and diving. Protected zones vary in size. When boating in the West Channel you should look out for piles with a yellow cross mark and an information board advising you of Clarence (1850) and Joanna (1857) protected zones. It is important to steer clear of these zones because the fragile wrecks within them could easily be damaged by careless anchoring or by fishing and diving activities. SS City of Launceston (1865) Protected Zone is marked by a temporary lit marker buoy during diving
Protected zones are no entry areas around very fragile shipwrecks. It is illegal to enter a protected zone without a permit from us. There are 8 protected zones in Victoria, 6 of which are in Port Phillip Bay. There is one off Cape Schanck and one near Port Albert. These are all off-limits to diving, fishing and boating, except William Salthouse. A permit can be obtained to visit the William Salthouse in Port Phillip Bay, and there are special conditions which apply. Protected zones vary in size and some are identified by signs or isolated danger marks, but all can be found on the appropriate nautical charts. When boating in the West Channel you should look out for piles with a yellow cross mark and information boards advising you of Clarence (1850) and Joanna (1857) protected zones. It is important to steer clear of these zones because the fragile wrecks within them could easily be damaged by careless anchoring or by fishing and diving activities. The Cerberus (1926) at Black Rock is
