Meet the site
The Betsey Island graveyard, west of Little Betsey Island at the mouth of the Derwent, is Hobart's ships' graveyard: from the 1930s to the 1980s obsolete vessels, barges and sections of the old floating bridge were towed here and scuttled in about 20-34 m. The Marine Life Network guide calls it a huge concentration of wreck dives very close to Hobart, with a pebble-and-mud bottom that stirs up easily, poor visibility after bad weather or decaying Storm Bay swell, and massive yellow and white jewel anemones and, at times, hordes of school fish on the wrecks. Alongside the ships, the graveyard holds a collection of barges and two sections of Hobart's old floating bridge. The guide describes barges used by the Hobart Tug Company to carry paper from the Australian Newsprint Mills (ANM) plant at Boyer down the Derwent, scuttled in 1986 when road transport made them obsolete. They include Army-built barges from 1945 (about 100 ft), Hobart-built ANM barges from 1960 (74 ft) – ANM5 and ANM6 among the flattened wreckage – and Department of Construction barges HTL 1, 2 and 4. One lies near the Macquarie's bow and another about 50 m south-west towards the Swiftness. About 100 m either side of the main wreck area, roughly level with the southern end of Big Betsey Island, lie two 580 ft (177 m) concrete sections of the floating bridge that crossed the Derwent before the Tasman Bridge opened in 1964. They are heavily encrusted in jewel anemones. Another section of the same bridge survives above water as the jetty at Alonnah on Bruny Island. The bridge sections are large, enclosed pontoons; the guide warns that entering them is extremely dangerous and requires a torch, guideline and experience. For most divers the exterior is the dive: long walls of concrete glowing with anemones, with fish sheltering along the edges. The barges are low and flattened, and are best visited in combination with the Macquarie.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Betsey Island Graveyard – ANM Barges & Floating Bridge Sections is recorded as Artificial Reef in Hobart & Derwent. 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.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
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 Betsey Island Graveyard – ANM Barges & Floating Bridge Sections suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced 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 Betsey Island Graveyard – ANM Barges & Floating Bridge Sections 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
Jewel anemones (massive yellow and white colonies), schooling fish, leatherjackets, crabs, sea squirts
Location
Several scuttled barges (Army-built 1945 barges, Hobart-built 1960 ANM paper barges and Department of Construction barges) plus two 580 ft concrete sections of Hobart's old floating bridge, lying in about 20 m around the Macquarie and level with the southern end of Big Betsey Island.
Facilities nearby
South Arm and Lauderdale boat ramps; fills in Hobart.
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
marinelife.org.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
