Meet the site
The Agincourt is one of the timber-trade wrecks that make Hamelin Bay a small underwater museum. Divingwawrecks describes a 433-ton, 40 m wooden barque launched in 1863 and owned in Adelaide; marinelife.org.au gives her as a 131.9 ft barque launched at Sunderland in 1863. She arrived in Hamelin Bay on 17 February 1882 and was fully loaded with timber sleepers when a north-west gale set in. She dragged her anchors and struck a reef, and with water coming in faster than the pumps could clear it, the master deliberately drove her ashore. The crew's lifeboat capsized and the carpenter drowned trying to reach shore just 100 m away.
After more than 140 years the wreck is in remarkable condition. The lower hull is intact, with the cargo of sleepers still stacked in the middle, and marinelife.org.au notes an upper hull section about 5 m inshore with seven chainplates and an iron water tank between the two sections. The wreck is heavily vegetated but supports plenty of small fish, and it lies on sand in 5-6 m, easily seen from the surface.
It is an ideal first historic-wreck dive and an excellent snorkel on calm days, and it can be combined with the Chaudiere a few hundred metres south.
Hamelin Bay was a timber port from the 1880s, when a jetty built in 1882 and extended in 1898 served M. C. Davies' milling operations. It was notorious for wrecks in bad weather because it is exposed to the north-west gales of winter storms; the 22 July 1900 storm alone wrecked several ships, and only the old jetty piles remain today. The bay is now a recreation zone in the Ngari Capes Marine Park, and every wreck in it older than 75 years is protected.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Agincourt Wreck is recorded as Wreck in Margaret River & Augusta. The listed access is shore or boat. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Agincourt Wreck suitable for my certification?
The record lists Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Agincourt Wreck through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Small reef fish among the timbers, western king wrasse, old wife, stingrays on sand, weed and algae
Location
Wooden barque grounded in 1882, lying in 5-6 m about 100-120 m off the beach and 900 m north of the Hamelin Bay boat ramp, with its timber-sleeper cargo still stacked in the hull.
Facilities nearby
Hamelin Bay boat ramp, holiday park and kiosk.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
divingwawrecks.commarinelife.org.audivingwawrecks.comcapetocapetours.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
