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. Dunloe was a three-masted iron barque of 704 tons gross, 55.1 m (181 ft) long, built by Dobie and Co at Glasgow in 1870 for the Australian trade. She was fast – her last voyage under sail took her from Sydney Heads to Port Phillip Heads in 40 hours – but by 1909 sail was finished and she was cut down to a coal hulk in Melbourne, where she spent 38 years. Her scuttling on Wednesday 2 July 1947 was the most dramatic in the Graveyard's history: in rough seas the tow line parted with two men and the gelignite charges still aboard the drifting hulk, and they had to be rescued before the charges could be set; she finally went down at 5.02 pm in a few minutes, the explosion blowing the stern clean out. The wreck lies in 44–46 m, 667 m west of the Batman. As an iron sailing hull with no boilers or engine it is, the Scuba Doctor notes, difficult to pick up on a sounder – a good GPS mark and patience are needed. The bow section is the best-preserved part; the hull runs back low along the sand with frames and plating standing a metre or two, to the shattered stern. Sponges and zoanthids colour the iron and the usual western-Graveyard fish – bullseyes, butterfly perch, ling – shelter in the frames, with crayfish in the bow. The Scuba Doctor describes the Dunloe as just beyond recreational limits but a great dive for technical and decompression divers, and that is exactly how it is used: a clean, compact 46 m wreck a few minutes' steaming from the Batman, ideal for a two-dive normoxic-trimix day or a decompression-procedures course. It suits technical divers in training and anyone who wants an iron windjammer at a manageable depth.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Dunloe 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 Dunloe 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 Dunloe 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, bullseyes, butterfly perch, ling, southern rock lobster, boarfish
Location
Western Ships' Graveyard about 8 km south of Barwon Heads, 667 m west of the Batman.
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.autorquayhistory.comRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
