Sponge record on the cards for Vic divers

This is not your average kitchen sponge cleanout.

A group of divers will take their scissors into the icy waters of Port Phillip Bay on Saturday to begin a mammoth transplant of sea sponge stuck to Blairgowrie Pier.

Rather than destroy the 300-square-metre sponge community when the old part of the pier is taken apart, the divers will tediously scrape off and relocate it to a newer section of the pier.

The massive project, which includes sticking the sponges to their new home with a marine-safe glue, is thought to be the largest ever in the world, the divers say.

"If the operation is successful Victoria may be able to provide a template that can be used to save thousands of amazing dive sites around the world," says Kade Mills from Victorian National Parks Association's ReefWatch.