Who we are
Ocean Divers is a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Centre and a Scubapro Platinum Dealer.
We train our divers through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) which is the largest recreational scuba teaching organisation in the world. The Five Star rating is the highest recognition for training, service and professionalism available. PADI is recognised in over 80 countries and teach in excess of 75% of the world’s scuba divers.
At Ocean Divers we offer a complete range of rental and sales of equipment, dive training from snorkeling through to Instructor level SCUBA courses including specialties, travel both interstate and overseas, and local boat and shore dives.
We specialise in SCUBAPRO, HALCYON & SANTI products.
Our store offers a great range of SCUBA, free diving and snorkeling equipment, with everything you need to dive at every level, from recreational to technical diving.
We also offer equipment hire, air fills, Nitrox fills with banked 32%, and on-site repairs and servicing including tank testing, as we are approved by Quality Assurance Services Australia.
We also provide courses through the Cave Divers Association of Australia (CDAA).
At Ocean Divers we pride ourselves on the service we offer, whether it be to you as a student, a club member or an off the street customer. So please, contact us with any queries or questions you may have and we will endeavour to answer them for you.
Our Team
Songtao Huang
PADI Course Director, EFR Instructor
Songtao was a dentist in China and had a trip to Thailand where he developed an interest in diving. After he became an Instructor in Kho Tao, Songtao traveled to Southeast Asia and taught there. He came to Melbourne and joined Ocean Divers as a full-time PADI Instructor. In 2018, Songtao purchased Ocean Divers as the new owner.
Songtao is an environmental enthusiast and marine lover who is keen to explore more national dive destinations within Australia, and to share some of the international destinations he has experienced to our customers.
Speaks Mandarin & English
Jane Bowman
PADI Course Director, EFR Instructor Trainer, CDAA Advanced Cave Instructor
A trip to the Maldives in 1984 commenced a love for SCUBA diving that is still as strong today as then and started what was to become not just a hobby but a career. PADI training has enabled Jane to become one of the few female Course Directors in Australia. She is also an Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer, CDAA Instructor and a Marine Safety Coxswain. A love of photography and marine biology has enabled her to appreciate not only what Victoria has to offer but better appreciate overseas destinations. Jane has traveled extensively to destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Fiji, New Zealand, Mexico, USA, Tonga, Chuuk (Truk Lagoon), Palau, Guam, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, the Galapagos, Brunei and Niue. Technical diving has included trips to Florida, Mexico, Vanuatu and the Nullarbor to dive the caves plus countless journeys to Mt Gambier to dive in Australia’s best cave diving area.
Jane was inducted in the International Women Divers Hall of Fame in the USA in 2010. She was the second Australian (after Valerie Taylor) to be selected for this award based on her extensive training, teaching and technical diving experience especially for female divers. She was awarded OzTek’s Industry Recognition Award in 2017.
Liz Harper
PADI IDC Staff Instructor, EFR Instructor
Liz learned to dive in Melbourne and continued diving & working as a PADI Instructor in the warm waters of the Whitsundays before returning to Melbourne in 2009.
She has traveled to Fiji, Brunei, Thailand, New Zealand, Vanuatu, The Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Italy, Crotia, the Philippines and FNQ. She is currently developing her technical diving skills having recently completed PADI Tec 45. She is a CDAA Advanced Cave diver and looks forward to further adventures in Mt Gambier….
Liz is Ocean Divers Training Manager and teaches full time. In her spare time she enjoys travel, snowboarding, yoga, dancing, underwater photography & going diving!
Skye Chen
PADI Instructor & Manager
Skye has worked in the dive centre here for 5 years. She has great experience diving in Melbourne waters and also takes groups away to destinations around the world to enjoy a dive holiday. When she’s not underwater, you’ll find her in the shop taking bookings and helping customers. She is always more than happy to give you the best advice to get the most out of your diving.
Skye is currently training to be a PADI Instructor and is a qualified CDAA Advanced Cave diver.
Speaks Mandarin & English
Mike Reed
PADI Instructor, DSAT Tec Instructor, EFR Instructor
Mike started diving in New Zealand in the early 70’s – back when everyone dived in wetsuits and things like buoyancy compensators were a novelty. He has pursued the technical side of diving and is particularly keen on the deeper wrecks. He holds instructor ratings with PADI & DSAT, as well as being an EFR Instructor and a CDAA Cave diver.
In his professional life, Mike is a partner with Oliver Wight and is working with a number of leading companies in Australia and New Zealand assisting them in achieving Business Excellence. He has specialist expertise in strategy management, product and portfolio management and integrated business management. A keen musician, Mike has played in a number of bands over the years and will occasionally pack a guitar along with the diving gear for a trip to Mt Gambier or other dive destinations.
When not instructing for Ocean Divers, Mike is often seen out diving in Port Phillip Bay or at the Ship’s Graveyard. He enjoys underwater photography and offers tuition in digital underwater photography as well as the complete range of technical courses, all the way to full trimix..
Simone Lee
PADI Instructor, EFR Instructor
Simone started diving in 2007 in preparation for an overseas trip and had no idea this would be the beginning of a long-time passion.
She is a part-time Instructor at Ocean Divers but spends as much time diving locally and overseas when not teaching. Simone is a keen cave diver and technical diver holding CDAA Advanced Cave and Trimix qualifications so she’ll be out on a boat most weekends exploring the wrecks of the Ship’s graveyard or caves at Mount Gambier.
Simone has continued her dive adventures overseas in Mexico, Nullabor, Thailand, Raja Ampat, Bunaken, Komodo, Philippines and Vanuatu and can’t wait to do more! She also enjoys diving all around Australia from the caves in Western and South Australia, cuttlefish watching in Whyalla, a myriad of locations along the east coast from North Solitary Islands to Merimbula, and all around Victoria from Lake Catani on Mt Buffalo to the wonderful shore dives of Port Philip Bay.
In her non-diving time, Simone helps people to protect their intellectual property as a Patent and Trade Mark Attorney.