Meet the site
The Hougomont was one of the last of the great four-masted steel barques of the grain trade. Built at Greenock, Scotland, in 1897, she was 89 m (292 ft) long and 2,378 gross tons, and in her later years she sailed in Gustaf Erikson's famous Åland fleet carrying grain from South Australia to Europe. In April 1932, bound for Port Lincoln, she was dismasted by a gale estimated at around 100 km/h west-south-west of Kangaroo Island. She limped to Port Adelaide, where she was declared a total loss. Rather than being broken up, the hull was towed to Stenhouse Bay and, on 8 January 1933, scuttled with explosives to form a breakwater protecting the gypsum-loading jetty. For a time her decks and rails stood above the water, but they soon collapsed. Today the Marine Life Society and DEW describe the bow and stern sections still standing upright among jumbled hull plates in about 9 m, between the breakwater and the jetty. The wreck provides a big structure in shallow, usually sheltered water, and it is heavily colonised by kelp, sponges and ascidians. Old wives, magpie perch, sweep, zebrafish and leatherjackets shelter in the plating, blue groper patrol, and crayfish and octopus use the holes. Divers can trace the full length of the hull, which is rare for a tall-ship wreck accessible from shore. Most divers combine the Hougomont and the Stenhouse Bay jetty on a single tank or back-to-back dives. It suits Open Water divers comfortable with a slightly awkward jetty entry and some surge, and it is a fine place to appreciate the scale of a steel windjammer.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Hougomont Wreck is recorded as Wreck in Yorke Peninsula. 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.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- 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 Hougomont Wreck 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 Hougomont Wreck 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
Old wives, magpie perch, sweep, zebrafish, leatherjackets, western blue groper, southern rock lobster, octopus, kelp, sponges, ascidians
Location
Hull of the four-masted steel barque Hougomont, scuttled in 1933 as a breakwater at Stenhouse Bay, lying between the breakwater and the old gypsum jetty in about 9 m with bow and stern still upright.
Facilities nearby
Stenhouse Bay car park, visitor centre with toilets; Marion Bay (5 km) for store, pub and boat ramp; park campgrounds nearby.
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
environment.sa.gov.aumarinelife.org.authediveshack.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.