Who we are

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.

John Noonan

PADI IDC Staff Instructor, EFR Instructor

John started diving in 1984 because all his mates were doing it and so he signed up on the same course as Jane! (see above) Although he didn’t get around to his Advanced Open Water until 2013, he enjoyed that course that much he started smashing through a whole bunch of specialties, and became Ocean Divers’ first Master Scuba Diver.

His journey continued when his daughter Jacqui became an Open Water diver which meant Dad had to become a Divemaster…and then eventually an instructor! He has a bunch of Instructor Specialty ratings and likes to encourage people to “get in the water” as much as possible. He is also President of the local Ozfish Unlimited Port Phillip Bay Chapter which is creating several shellfish reefs inside the bay for more fish.

John used to be a Project Manager at IBM until the Redundancy Fairy came along in 2012. To stay in IT meant doing contract work but also allowed the rediscovery of diving.

John has a large 4WD to carry scuba diving equipment around and has been to various destinations all around Australia (yes, including Ningaloo and the GBR!) and also Gili Trewangan, East Timor, and Ko Tao with his wife and two daughters.

Best dive ever: Giant Spider Crab aggregation at Blairgowrie, right here in Melbourne, closely followed by Grey Nurse sharks off Stradbroke Island

Jasmine Liu

PADI Instructor

I started diving in 2024 because I loved the feeling of being underwater and discovering a completely different world beneath the surface. What began as something I really enjoyed quickly became a passion, and it eventually led me to becoming a PADI Instructor, which is currently my highest professional rating.

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to dive at a variety of sites and experience different diving environments. I especially enjoy diving around Victoria, including places such as Rye, Blairgowrie, Portsea and Flinders.

What I love about diving in Victorian waters is that every dive can be different. The conditions can sometimes be challenging, but that is also part of what makes diving here so interesting. There is so much marine life to discover, as well as beautiful reefs, piers and wrecks, and you never quite know what you are going to see.

One of my favourite parts of being an instructor is introducing people to diving and watching their confidence grow underwater. I really enjoy sharing something I am passionate about and helping other divers feel comfortable, safe and excited to explore the underwater world.