Meet the site
The Henry Bolte was launched in January 1966 at the NSW State Dockyard in Newcastle for the Victorian Department of Ports and Harbours and named after the Victorian premier. A 383-ton, 40.7 m firefighting tug powered by an eight-cylinder 1,500 bhp diesel, she worked mainly in Western Port. After being laid up in the mid-1980s she passed to an Eden company, and in 1988 dive operator Gary Becus bought her and the Tasman Hauler for $1 each and scuttled her about 1 August 1988, just south of Red Point. Items including her telegraph, wheel and binnacle are now in the Eden Killer Whale Museum.
The Bolte came down onto a small patch of rocky reef that tore open the starboard bow and a fuel tank and damaged the prop shroud. In 1993 McFadyen found her basically intact with a 45° list to port; the superstructure behind the bridge had already collapsed in 1992. Around 1997, age and big seas broke the wreck into four major pieces and some smaller bits. The bow is still recognisable, with a small forward hold and a bridge that can be entered, but behind the bridge the hull has ripped from keel to deck and fallen outwards. The stern, the largest section, has rolled to about 80° and stands high off the bottom; inside is a huge school of nannygai, the split gearbox, fuel tanks and a crushed muffler. At the stern are the towing winch, bollards and a steering compartment with hydraulic arms, and the prop with its shattered shroud.
Depths range from about 20 m on top of the bridge to 22 m on the stern and 25 m on the sand. It lacks the colour and intactness of the Hauler, but McFadyen found excellent fish life – including 10 or more big bastard trumpeter – and a jumble of wreckage that is fascinating to piece together.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Henry Bolte is recorded as Wreck in Eden & Green Cape. The listed access is boat. 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.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
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 Henry Bolte 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 Henry Bolte 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
Nannygai (large school in the stern), bastard trumpeter, yellowtail, bream, leatherjackets, morwong, blue groper, wobbegongs, sponges, jewel anemones
Location
Firefighting tug scuttled in 1988 a few hundred metres from the Tasman Hauler south of Red Point, Twofold Bay; now broken into four main pieces with a heavy list, 20–25 m.
Facilities nearby
Quarantine Bay ramp and Snug Cove, Eden; fills at Dive Eden and Merimbula Divers Lodge; Eden Killer Whale Museum holds the tug's fittings.
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
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infomarinelife.org.aumerimbuladiverslodge.com.audiveeden.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.