Meet the site
The John Robb is the most remote of Adelaide's metro-listed wrecks, lying 12-15 km offshore near the outer shipping channel in 18-20 m. She was built at Port Adelaide in 1879 and sank during a storm around 1910. Today she is nearly completely broken up, and only the bow section, pointing west, remains clearly recognisable among a scatter of debris. Every local source stresses how hard she is to find. There are no landmarks at this distance offshore, so an accurate GPS position is essential, and the Dive Shack calls the site extremely difficult to locate. Strong tidal currents are also noted, so the dive must be timed for slack water. Visibility is typically better than inshore because of the distance from the coast, but the Marine Life Network notes it can be fair to poor and is quickly affected by careless finning. Marine life is variable. The Marine Life Network lists old wives, bullseyes, spider crabs, nudibranchs and cowfish, and notes juvenile fish in spring. The wreckage offers the only hard structure on a wide area of sandy seabed, so it tends to hold fish on good days. The John Robb is a dive for experienced divers with their own well-equipped boat, a good GPS mark and a calm, settled day. It is less about spectacular scenery than about the satisfaction of finding and exploring a genuinely historic, rarely visited wreck far out in the gulf. It is protected as an historic shipwreck: look, photograph and leave everything in place.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
John Robb Wreck is recorded as Wreck in Adelaide Metro. 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- 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 John Robb Wreck 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 John Robb 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, bullseyes, spider crabs, nudibranchs, cowfish, juvenile fish (spring)
Location
Broken-up remains of the Port Adelaide-built John Robb, lost in a storm around 1910, in 18-20 m about 12-15 km offshore from Semaphore/North Haven near the outer shipping channel.
Facilities nearby
North Haven boat ramp and marina.
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
marinelife.org.ausdfsa.netseawolves.org.authediveshack.com.auen.wikivoyage.orgdivedb.netRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.