Meet the site
HMS Sirius is, as the Naval Historical Society puts it, Australia's equivalent of the Mayflower. She was the flagship of the First Fleet, leading eleven ships from England in 1787 to found the colony at Sydney Cove, and she was for a time the only link between the new settlements at Sydney and Norfolk Island and the outside world. Built as the merchant ship Berwick in 1780 at Rotherhithe, she was bought by the Royal Navy in 1781 after a fire, rebuilt, and rated at 511 tons with a gundeck of 110 ft 5 in (about 33.7 m) and ten guns.
On 19 March 1790, on a voyage carrying convicts, marines and children to Norfolk Island, Sirius struck the reef off Slaughter Bay while landing stores and was lost. Everyone survived, but the loss stranded the colony without its main supply vessel.
The wreck was declared a protected historic shipwreck in 1984 and added to the National and Commonwealth Heritage Lists in 2011. Archaeological work recovered three anchors and two carronades, which are displayed at the Norfolk Island Museum (the museum was established in 1988 with Bicentennial funding to display the Sirius artefacts); another anchor and a cannon stand at Macquarie Place in Sydney. Cosmos Archaeology's 2020 heritage management plan found the site relatively well preserved despite the surf, with most material still in place: mounds of cast-iron ballast pigs, anchor remains and flukes, a pump chamber, copper tacks and sheathing, musket balls and ceramics. Large sea urchin populations are a concern because they affect the iron.
For divers this is a historical pilgrimage rather than a scenic wreck. There is no hull; what remains is concrete-like ballast and fittings among the reef in a few metres of turbulent water. Conditions are the challenge: the site is diveable only on rare flat days. Look, photograph and leave everything exactly as found.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
HMS Sirius wreck site is recorded as Wreck in Norfolk Island. The listed access is shore or 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- 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 HMS Sirius wreck site 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 HMS Sirius wreck site 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
Reef fish and corals growing over ballast and fittings; sea urchins (abundant)
Location
The scattered remains of HMS Sirius, flagship of the First Fleet, on the outer edge of the fringing reef off Slaughter Bay, Kingston, in a rough surf zone.
Facilities nearby
Parking on Bay Street and at Kingston Pier; toilets at Emily Bay; HMS Sirius Museum in Kingston.
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
cosmosarch.comen.wikipedia.orgnavyhistory.auaustralianmarineparks.gov.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.