Enter the Dragon

Anita Verde & Peter Marshall · Issue 128, Sep/Oct 2022 · pp. 54–55

Like many people, we hadn’t really thought much about diving in our local temperate marine environment. Cold water, kelp and often low visibility didn’t really sound appealing when compared to the clear, warm, tropical waters we so regularly dive. Yet in the green shallow waters just over an hour from Melbourne, Australia; you’ll find one of the most incredibly fascinating creatures, the Weedy Sea Dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus). Only found in the relatively shallow coastal waters from Port Stephens in NSW, through Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Geraldton in Western Australia, these captivating animals are every bit (if not more) as wonderful as any species we’ve seen in the tropics. The best place to see these guys in Victoria is no doubt the local pier in the small hamlet of Flinders, a mere 100 km from Melbourne’s CBD. And while the pier is also home to cuttlefish, smooth …