Meet the site
The Bluebird appears on Darwin Sub Aqua Club's list of Cyclone Tracy wrecks alongside the Bellbird, Booya, Darwin Princess, Diemen and Mandorah Queen, but it is the least documented of them. The club's page for the Bluebird currently carries the same text as its Bellbird page - an 82 ft, 197-ton prawn trawler owned by Gollin Kyokuyo Fishing Co, broken from her moorings at Fort Hill Wharf, capsized and lying upside down in 15 m where the old iron-ore wharf used to be - so the published details cannot be relied on as specific to this vessel. The name fits the pattern of the Gollin Kyokuyo trawler fleet, several of which were lost or damaged in the harbour. Cyclone Tracy crossed Darwin in the early hours of 25 December 1974 with gusts estimated at over 200 km/h, destroying most of the city and killing 66 people, many of them at sea. More than 20 vessels sank or were driven ashore in and around the harbour, and several of those wrecks now form a second, much more intact wreck trail beside the 1942 sites. What can be said with confidence is that the Bluebird is an inshore Cyclone Tracy fishing-boat wreck in roughly 15 m, in the same inner-harbour environment as the Bellbird: a steel hull on a silty bottom, colonised by sponges and gorgonians and holding cod, snapper and batfish. It is a club site rather than a charter site, dived by locals who know the mark. Treat any dive here as an exploratory wreck dive, record what you see, and share observations with DSAC or the NT Heritage Branch, as good descriptions of this wreck are lacking. It suits divers who have already done the better-known Tracy wrecks and want something less visited.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Bluebird is recorded as Wreck in Darwin Harbour. 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- 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.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
- 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 Bluebird 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 Bluebird 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
Sponges, gorgonians, estuary cod, golden snapper, batfish, baitfish
Location
Darwin Harbour near the CBD waterfront; listed by DSAC among its Cyclone Tracy wrecks. Exact position not published.
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
dsac.com.audsac.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.