Meet the site
The Victorian Ships' Graveyard was the official dumping ground for Melbourne's unwanted hulls: an unregulated 'outer Heads' area used from about 1900, and from 1932 the proclaimed Commonwealth Area No. 3, a 6 km circle about 10 km south-west of Barwon Heads in 40–60 m. More than 46 vessels were stripped, towed out through The Rip and sunk with gelignite between 1913 and 1971, and all are protected historic shipwrecks. Brunette is the earliest recorded scuttling in the Graveyard and one of the oldest hulls: a three-masted iron barque of 382 tons, 43 m (141 ft) long, built by C. Langley at Deptford on the Thames in 1859 as the Pride of the West. Sold to Couper and Co of Glasgow in 1866 and renamed Brunette, she was registered in Sydney to George Dibbs – later Premier of New South Wales – in 1870, and in 1892 McIlwraith, McEacharn converted her to a coal hulk in Melbourne. She was towed out and sunk in July 1913, a year before the First World War, in what was then simply deep water off The Heads. For 93 years nobody knew where. Southern Ocean Exploration, the Melbourne technical team responsible for most of the state's deep-wreck discoveries, found her in January 2006 in 70 m south of the main Graveyard, 2.2 km from the John Nimmo. Published description is limited to the essentials – a small, very old iron sailing hull on the sand at 70 m, well stripped, with the frames and plating of a mid-Victorian barque – and the site is as much an archaeological curiosity as a dive. At this depth and distance from the Barwon the growth is deep-water sponge and sea whip, with ling, boarfish and big crayfish. Brunette is a rebreather expedition dive – 15 minutes at 70 m for well over an hour of decompression – done by a handful of divers since her discovery. She suits only the most experienced Victorian technical teams, and those with an interest in the very first vessels dumped off The Heads; the Don Diego, another 1850s barque scuttled in 1916 and lying 2.5 km south in 70–72 m, is her natural companion.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Brunette 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 Brunette 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 Brunette 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, large southern rock lobster
Location
Southern outer Ships' Graveyard about 9 km south of Point Lonsdale, 2.2 km west-south-west of the John Nimmo; the oldest scuttling in the ground.
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.
