Meet the site
Auriga was a three-masted iron barque of 540 tons gross built by Iliff, Mounsey and Co at Sunderland in 1869, 50 m (164.5 ft) long. She spent her working life in the Australia–New Zealand trade and the coal trade, one of hundreds of iron sailing ships that carried Newcastle coal and Kauri timber across the Tasman in the last decades of sail. Dismasted of her purpose by steam, she was cut down to a hulk for the Melbourne Harbour Trust and spent her last years as a coal or ballast store in Hobsons Bay. On 5 February 1930 she was towed out and sunk with twenty plugs of blasting gelatine made into three charges: the fuses were lit at 8.08 am, the charges went off twelve minutes later and she was under by 8.26. She lies in 55–57 m in the deep eastern part of the Graveyard, close to the Campana, another iron barque hulk scuttled three years earlier. Iron sailing-ship hulls of this age open out like a flower on the seabed; divers report the long, narrow hull with frames standing, the remains of the bow and stern, and iron knees and deck beams, with deep-water sponges and sea whips growing on the iron. Fish life at this depth is dominated by ling, boarfish and schooling butterfly perch, and crayfish are large and unbothered. Auriga is a trimix or rebreather dive done a few times a year at most, usually from private technical boats, and there is no charter schedule. It appeals to technical divers with an interest in sailing-ship archaeology rather than machinery, and the proximity of the Campana makes a two-wreck dive possible for teams with propulsion. Wreck detail here is drawn from the Scuba Doctor's Graveyard page and diver reports; the site is poorly documented.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Auriga is recorded as Wreck in Port Phillip Heads. The listed access is boat (day trip). 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
- 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 Auriga suitable for my certification?
The record lists Technical (decompression). 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 Auriga 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
Deep-water sponges, sea whips, ling, boarfish, butterfly perch, southern rock lobster
Location
Deep eastern Ships' Graveyard about 5.5 km south of Point Lonsdale, 178 m north-north-east of the Campana.
Facilities nearby
Departure from Queenscliff Harbour (parking, toilets, cafes, fills at Dive Victoria/Queenscliff Dive Centre) or Portsea Pier (parking on Point Nepean Road, toilets, cafes).
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
scubadoctor.com.auscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
