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. H.C. Piggot was a steel steam hopper barge of 495 tons gross, 48.8 m (160 ft) long, built by Fleming and Ferguson at Paisley in 1912 for the Melbourne Harbour Trust and named after a Trust commissioner; she steamed out from Glasgow and arrived in Port Phillip on Sunday 7 July 1912, six weeks after her sister Edward Northcote. Twenty-three years of carrying dredge spoil followed until, offered for scrap with the Burke, Wills, Batman and Fawkner in November 1934, she was scuttled on Monday 14 October 1935. She has broken in half, and the forward half is the dive. The hull is intact almost to amidships, listing onto its port side with the bow to the south, and stands in one piece proud of the bottom: a large anchor sits on the bow, the foredeck carries its hatch coaming, and the deck beams are exposed and intact, so that trained divers can drop between them into the hull. The propeller shafts run aft from the forward section without their propellers, but at the stern a large iron propeller survives, and two or three intact boilers lie together side by side or in a triangle. Sponges and zoanthids cover everything and the wreck holds ling, bullseyes, butterfly perch and crayfish. At 46–48 m the Piggot is a normoxic-trimix dive of the same profile as her neighbours the Euro and Pioneer, and the three together make the classic western-Graveyard technical weekend. It suits technical divers who want penetration through open deck beams without tight spaces, and a hull with real character. Skippers should be aware that the long-published GPS was found to be wrong in 2019; local charter marks are more reliable.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
H.C. Piggot 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 H.C. Piggot 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 H.C. Piggot 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, boarfish
Location
Western Ships' Graveyard about 8.5 km south-east of Barwon Heads, 434 m east-north-east of the Euro and 528 m south of the Pioneer.
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.
