Meet the site
Conside is the earliest screw-steamer wreck in Victoria and a piece of engineering history. She was a 368-ton iron steamer built at South Shields in 1848, 32 m (105.5 ft) long, powered by an 80-horsepower geared oscillating steam engine – an early and unusual arrangement in which oscillating cylinders drove the screw through gearing – and she is thought likely to have been the first steamship to cross the Pacific, having come to Australia by way of South America. On 14 September 1852, in thick squally weather, she was approaching Port Phillip at her full nine knots when her master mistook the distress signals of a wrecked schooner's survivors on Lonsdale Reef for the lighthouse. She ran up and over the outer part of the reef and bow first into the inner lagoon, where she broke up. The wreck lies on the extreme south-west point of Lonsdale Reef in about 5 m, on the outer edge of the same reef that holds the George Roper and Holyhead. Very little survives of the hull after 170 years in the break, but divers have confirmed the remains of the early geared oscillating engine on the south-east corner of the site – iron castings and gearing that are archaeologically and technically important as one of the few surviving examples of the type anywhere. Around them the reef is the usual Lonsdale mix of kelp, coralline algae, sweep, wrasse and crayfish. The Conside is a dive for maritime-history enthusiasts on the flattest days at the end of the ebb, most often tacked onto a Holyhead dive. There is no wreck to swim through, only fragments to find and recognise, and the location on the reef's most exposed corner means it is diveable a few days a year. It suits experienced Open Water divers already familiar with the Lonsdale Reef sites and comfortable in surge; it is significant far beyond what it looks like.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Conside 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- 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 Conside 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 Conside 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
Kelp, coralline algae, sweep, wrasse, zebrafish, southern rock lobster, magpie perch
Location
On the extreme south-west point of Lonsdale Reef on the Bass Strait side of Point Lonsdale, in about 5 m, within the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park.
Facilities nearby
Departure from Queenscliff Harbour (parking, toilets, cafes, dive shop fills) or Portsea Pier (parking, 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.
