Meet the site
HMAS Goorangai was the first Royal Australian Navy vessel lost in the Second World War and the first RAN surface ship lost with all hands. She was built at Newcastle, NSW, in 1919 as a 223-ton 'Castle'-class steam trawler, worked the fishing grounds for twenty years and was requisitioned in 1939 as an auxiliary minesweeper for the Port Phillip approaches. On the night of 20 November 1940, crossing the South Channel from Queenscliff toward the Heads, she was struck by the 10,000-ton troopship MV Duntroon, cut in two and sunk within a minute. All 24 men aboard died; only six bodies were recovered. Because the wreck lay in the shipping channel it was demolished with explosives in January 1941.
What remains, as the Scuba Doctor listing describes it, is 'heavily scattered across approximately 200 square metres': sections of steel plating with a length of hull standing about two metres above the sand, a small cylindrical boiler, and fittings and frames spread over the channel floor at 12–15 m. It is not a wreck to be read as a ship but a debris field to be explored, and the growth on it is the compensation – the listing notes prolific fish life with cuttlefish, seahorses, nudibranchs, starfish, bryozoans, sponges and soft corals colonising the steel.
The Goorangai was declared a historic shipwreck in 1995 and is a designated war grave; the listing asks that it 'be treated with respect', which in practice means no artefact removal and no disturbance of the debris. Because it lies within the South Channel it is dived only at slack water, with a shipping check and a live boat, and it is not a routine charter site; Queenscliff operators and clubs dive it on request and around the anniversary, when a memorial service is held on the Queenscliff foreshore where a monument to the crew stands. For divers with an interest in the RAN's history it is a moving and unusual site in an otherwise ordinary stretch of sand.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
HMAS Goorangai is recorded as Wreck in Port Phillip Heads. 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.
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 HMAS Goorangai suitable for my certification?
The record lists 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 HMAS Goorangai 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
Giant cuttlefish, seahorses, nudibranchs, sea stars, bryozoans, sponges, soft corals, bullseyes, leatherjackets, wrasse
Location
In the South Channel about 2.8 km east of Queenscliff and 840 m north-east of Ramsden Reef, where the minesweeper was run down by MV Duntroon in 1940.
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.auen.wikipedia.orgscubadoctor.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
