Meet the site
Euro was a steel screw tug of 257 tons gross built in Dundee in 1897, one of the ocean-going tugs that towed sailing ships and hulks in and out of Port Phillip and worked salvage jobs along the Victorian coast for more than fifty years. When the age of sail finally ended and diesel tugs arrived she was surplus, and on Thursday 10 June 1948 she was towed out to the Graveyard and sunk with explosive charges. She is, by common consent, the most intact and most charming wreck in the western Graveyard. The hull sits upright in 44–50 m and almost everything is still there: the triple-expansion steam engine stands complete in the engine room, the boilers are in place, the steering quadrant and rudder are at the stern, the big tow anchor is on the bow, and inside the accommodation the crew toilets survive – the standard 'I dived the Euro' photograph. Because the tug was small and heavily built, the scuttling charges did far less damage than on the big steamers and the ship still looks like a ship. Penetration into the engine room and cabins is possible for trained divers and is the main reason people come back. Growth is rich: sponges and zoanthids on the deckhouse and rails, ling and bullseyes inside, crayfish in every gap. Visibility at this end of the Graveyard is usually 10–20 m once away from the Barwon plume. At 50 m to the sand it is a normoxic-trimix dive with real decompression, but the compact size means a 20-minute bottom time feels unhurried. It suits technical divers with wreck-penetration training, and it is the wreck most often named as the best dive in the Graveyard by those who have done the full set.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Euro 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.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
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 Euro 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 Euro 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, yellow zoanthids, ling, bullseyes, butterfly perch, southern rock lobster, blue devilfish, boarfish
Location
Western Ships' Graveyard about 9 km south-south-east of Barwon Heads, 434 m west-south-west of the H.C. Piggot.
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.audivernet.comRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
