Meet the site
The Quarantine Station Anchor is a single large ship's anchor lying on the sand of Ticonderoga Bay off the Point Nepean Quarantine Station, listed by Scuba Doctor as a wreck dive in 10–12 m for Open Water divers at slack water. It is one of the many anchors lost or slipped by the immigrant ships that anchored off the station between the 1850s and the 1950s – the Quarantine Station Reef listing counts six more on the ridge 1.2 km to the west – and it has been catalogued as a site in its own right because it is isolated, easy to shot and large enough to fill a shallow dive.
The listing carries no description beyond position, depth and gear; the anchor is of the stocked Admiralty pattern typical of the sailing-ship era, several metres long, heavily concreted and grown with sponges, hydroids and ascidians, and it functions as a small artificial reef on an otherwise bare sand plain: leatherjackets, goatfish, wrasse and bullseyes gather on it, octopus and cuttlefish den beside it, and the surrounding sand holds stingrays, fiddler rays, spider crabs in season and the seahorses and pipefish of the Ticonderoga Bay sand. Bottles and other artefacts turn up in the sand around it as they do across the bay, and are protected.
It is a modest site, used by Portsea operators for Open Water training and navigation practice – the recommended reel and SMB are for exactly that, because a single object on flat sand is easy to lose in 5–10 m visibility – and by private boats wanting a sheltered, short, shallow dive close to Portsea. Combined with Artefacts Flood and Quarantine Station Reef it forms a trio of historic-seabed dives in the bay.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Quarantine Station Anchor 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
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 Quarantine Station Anchor 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 Quarantine Station Anchor 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
Sponges, hydroids and ascidians on the anchor, leatherjackets, bluespotted goatfish, wrasse, bullseyes, octopus, giant cuttlefish, smooth stingray, southern fiddler ray, spider crabs (season), seahorses and pipefish
Location
A large historic anchor on the sand in Ticonderoga Bay offshore from the Quarantine Station, 574 m north-north-east of the Quarantine Station shore site and 1.3 km west of Portsea.
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.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
