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. Edward Northcote was the sister of the H.C. Piggot: a steel steam hopper barge of 495 tons gross, 48.7 m (159.8 ft) long with a 54-horsepower steam engine, built by Fleming and Ferguson at Paisley in 1911 for the Melbourne Harbour Trust and named for a Trust commissioner. She arrived in Port Phillip on 26 May 1912. In October 1917 the Navy requisitioned her as a minesweeper for the approaches to Port Phillip, returning her early in 1918, and she then went back to forty years of carrying dredge spoil. She outlasted all the other Trust barges, and was scuttled on Thursday 6 November 1952. The wreck lies in about 52 m at the western end of the ground, close to the Wareatea. The Scuba Doctor records that lots of the Edward Northcote still remains – the hull is substantially intact – that the propeller is still on the wreck, and that the boilers were removed before scuttling, which distinguishes her from the Piggot with its boiler cluster. Expect the layout of the Trust barges: bow and stern sections standing, an open hopper with strongback amidships, the engine space aft, all under the sponge and zoanthid growth typical of the western Graveyard, with ling, bullseyes and crayfish in residence. At 52 m she is a normoxic-trimix dive at the deeper end of that range, and she is dived less often than her sister because there is more decompression for a similar wreck. She suits technical divers working through the western group, and pairs naturally with the Wareatea on a two-dive day. Divers interested in the Trust's fleet can compare the four Paisley and Renfrew barges – Batman, Fawkner, Piggot and Northcote – all within two kilometres of one another.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Edward Northcote 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 Edward Northcote 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 Edward Northcote 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, bullseyes, butterfly perch, southern rock lobster
Location
Western Ships' Graveyard about 9 km south-south-east of Barwon Heads, 422 m west of the Wareatea.
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.
