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. Casablanca was a three-masted iron barque of 601 tons, 52.5 m (172 ft) long, built by J. Royden and Sons at Liverpool in 1868. She sailed the world for more than forty years, latterly on the trans-Tasman timber run, before being cut down to a coal hulk in Melbourne in 1912; she then spent another 38 years as a lighter in Hobsons Bay – an 82-year working life. On 16 February 1950 she was towed to the Graveyard and sunk with explosive charges, disappearing at 5.14 pm into 57 m. For a sailing-ship enthusiast the Casablanca is the pick of the Graveyard's barques. She went down with her lower masts still stepped, and all three lie on the wreck: the foremast at about 45 degrees, the mainmast lying perpendicular to the hull with its crow's nest still identifiable, and the mizzen at about 45 degrees. The stern carries a distinctive sailing-ship wheel, one of the very few surviving in Victorian waters. The bow section has broken off about 4 m back and points upward; the port side of the hull has collapsed inwards and the starboard side has mostly disappeared into the sand. Sponges and zoanthids colour the iron and the wreck attracts ling, butterfly perch and crayfish. At 57 m she is a trimix or rebreather dive with 40–50 minutes of decompression, lying 298 m from VHB 53 in the western part of the ground, and she is visited a few times a year by technical teams. She suits divers who value atmosphere and history – masts, a crow's nest and a ship's wheel at depth – over intact machinery, and she pairs with VHB 53 for a two-wreck day.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Casablanca 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 Casablanca 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 Casablanca 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, zoanthids, ling, butterfly perch, southern rock lobster, boarfish, sea whips
Location
Western Ships' Graveyard about 10 km south-south-east of Barwon Heads, 298 m south-east of VHB 53.
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.
