Meet the site
The J-class were the fastest submarines in the world when they were laid down for the Royal Navy in 1915: 84 m long, 1,210 t surfaced and 1,820 t submerged, driven by three diesels for 19 knots on the surface. Six survivors of the class were gifted to the Royal Australian Navy in March 1919, sailed out with the depot ship HMAS Platypus, arrived in Sydney on 15 July 1919 and were based at Geelong from 1920. Post-war budget cuts saw them paid off at Western Port on 12 July 1922, and in January 1924 the Melbourne Salvage Company bought the flotilla for scrap. J1 had launched at Portsmouth on 6 November 1915, commissioned on 15 March 1916 and served with the 11th Submarine Flotilla at Blyth on the North Sea. Stripped of engines and fittings at Williamstown, the hull was towed out through The Rip and scuttled on 26 May 1926. Today J1 is the deepest of the four Graveyard submarines and, for many Melbourne divers, the best. She lies almost upright with a slight list to port on a flat sand and limestone bottom at 38 m, bow to the north-east, and the whole hull is intact from the fine, narrow bow to the stern hydroplanes. The conning tower rises to about 34 m and is the natural reference point; the pressure hull and casing are carpeted in bright yellow zoanthids that glow under a torch and give the boat its unmistakable Bass Strait look. Schools of butterfly perch, bullseyes and barber perch hang around the tower, and blue devilfish and crayfish live in the gaps between casing and pressure hull. Penetration is possible: the open hatch beside the conning tower drops into the control room area, which is reasonably open and lit by the hatch, but the hull becomes pitch black towards the bow and the silt is fine and deep. Divers have died inside this submarine, and the local rule is simple – no line, no light, no entry. The exterior alone fills a 20-minute bottom time. Because it sits at the edge of recreational limits with a meaningful transit through The Rip, J1 is dived less often than J4 and J5, usually as the deep dive on a two-tank charter on a calm day. It suits experienced deep divers and is a favourite first trimix or light-deco wreck for Melbourne technical trainees.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
J1 Submarine 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.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
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 J1 Submarine suitable for my certification?
The record lists Deep/Advanced + experience. 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 J1 Submarine 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
Yellow zoanthids, butterfly perch, bullseyes, barber perch, splendid perch, blue devilfish, southern rock lobster, ling, sponges and ascidians, occasional Australian fur seal
Location
In the eastern Ships' Graveyard about 5 km south-west of Point Lonsdale, outside Port Phillip Heads in Bass Strait.
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.auscubadoctor.com.auen.wikipedia.orgRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
