Meet the site
The ex-HMAS Tobruk is one of the largest dive wrecks in Australia and the reason many divers now travel to Bundaberg and Hervey Bay. Launched on 1 March 1980, she was the Royal Australian Navy's first purpose-built heavy amphibious lift ship, designed to carry up to 500-plus troops, 18 Leopard tanks, dozens of armoured personnel carriers and helicopters. In 34 years of service she supported peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in Somalia, East Timor, Bougainville, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and beyond, before being decommissioned on 31 July 2015.
The Queensland Government scuttled her on 29 June 2018 in 28.5 m in the Great Sandy Marine Park, midway between the two towns. The plan was for the ship to sit upright, but a pump failure during the sinking let her settle on her starboard side. That accident shaped the dive: her uppermost port side lies only about 11 m below the surface, putting a huge amount of the ship within Open Water range, while the deepest point is at about 28-30 m. The site opened to divers in February 2019.
QPWS describes eight deck levels to explore. The highlight is the tank deck – the vast vehicle hold – which can be swum for roughly 100 m from the open stern door towards the bow, with light filtering in through the openings. Troop and crew quarters and other compartments are accessible to trained wreck divers with torches. Outside, the port propeller and rudder sit at about 17 m, and the superstructure and hull are rapidly being colonised by corals, sponges and anemones.
Marine life arrived quickly. Batfish and schools of baitfish swarm the hull, and divers report grouper, cod, Spanish mackerel, wobbegongs, rays, octopus, lionfish and turtles – one green turtle nicknamed 'Brookie' became a local celebrity – with manta rays passing through and humpback whales heard in winter.
Open Water divers can enjoy the exterior; penetration requires wreck training and a guide.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
ex-HMAS Tobruk is recorded as Wreck in Hervey Bay & K'gari. 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.
- 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.
- 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 ex-HMAS Tobruk suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced 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 ex-HMAS Tobruk 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
Batfish, baitfish schools, Queensland groper, cod, Spanish mackerel, trevally, wobbegongs, stingrays and eagle rays, manta rays, green turtles, octopus, lionfish, pufferfish, anemones and colonising corals, humpback whales (winter, surface/heard)
Location
127 m Royal Australian Navy heavy landing ship scuttled on 29 June 2018 in 28.5 m on sand in the Great Sandy Marine Park, 22 nm from Burnett Heads and 25 nm from Hervey Bay, lying on her starboard side.
Facilities nearby
Departures: Urangan Boat Harbour (Great Sandy Straits Marina/Boat Club Marina, Hervey Bay) or Burnett Heads marina (Bundaberg) – 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
parks.qld.gov.audiveherveybay.com.auscubadiverlife.comdiveplanit.comdivehmastobruk.com.auparks.qld.gov.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.