Meet the site
The Coolooli was for many years regarded as the best wreck in the Long Reef group, a big steel bucket dredge whose gantry, bucket ladder and funnel gave it an industrial silhouette unlike anything else off Sydney. Built in 1955 at the State Dockyard in Newcastle for the NSW Maritime Services Board, she was an unpowered dredge of about 50 m length and 10–11 m beam, towed from port to port to keep channels open. Laid up before 1975, she was sunk deliberately on 19 August 1980 as part of the artificial reef program that had already claimed the Dee Why and Meggol. She lies on her starboard side, oriented roughly north–south, on sand at 48 m; most of the dive is spent between 42 and 46 m along the high port side and the deck. The defining feature is the long bucket arm running toward the cutter bar at the bow, still recognisable as a chain of huge steel buckets. Aft of it the superstructure and the funnel used to offer a straightforward penetration, entering the funnel and exiting through a rust hole, and memorial plaques for diver Paul Cavanagh, who died here in 1994, were fixed inside it. A major collapse after 2009 changed the wreck considerably, and photographs from 2021 show it much flatter, so penetration options are now limited and the structure should be treated as unstable. A dumb barge lies 20 m to the south and further barges about 200 m away, which is useful for navigation and occasionally confusing on a sounder. Marine growth is the surprise: ropes and rails are furred with pink and blue jewel anemones and the shaded steel carries sponges and ascidians. Fish life is thinner than on the Dee Why, though very large jewfish have been recorded. Visibility is typically 12–15 m and current is rare, making it one of the calmer deep dives on the coast. It suits decompression-trained divers who want a genuinely different wreck from the usual colliers and ferries, and it remains an important site in Sydney's technical diving history.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Coolooli wreck is recorded as Wreck in Sydney Northern Beaches. The listed access is boat. 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
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 Coolooli wreck 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 Coolooli wreck 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
Jewfish (mulloway), kingfish, bullseyes, nannygai, wobbegongs, jewel anemones, sponges, ascidians
Location
Unpowered NSW Maritime Services Board bucket dredge scuttled on 19 August 1980 off Narrabeen, lying on its starboard side in 48 m a few hundred metres from the Dee Why.
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
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infosydneydivecharters.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.