Meet the site
The Rockingham Wreck Trail, also called the Churchill Park Dive Trail, is Perth's busiest dive site and where many WA divers did their training. It began to take shape around 1987 when Malibu Dive opened in Rockingham, and the steam tug Petrel (1895) was scuttled here in 1985. Over the years clubs and dive shops added small boats, aircraft, steel frames and tyres, connected by pole-and-rope lines in 10–17 m.
The trail as currently documented includes the timber motor boat MV Target (about 10 m long, sunk 1991, 12 m), the motor cruiser Old Timer (the deepest, about 17 m), a twin-engine Beechcraft King Air (sunk 1998, tail removed, half buried) and a smaller Cessna (1999), both at 12 m, an upright steel chicken coop at 17 m, a collapsed coop at 15 m, and tyre piles at 10 m and 14 m, the larger rising 3 m. Older lists also name the Unsinkable, the Luna Sea and the Petrel. Storms in the mid-2000s buried or broke up several items, so the trail changes over time.
The structures are heavily encrusted with soft corals and sponges and are prime habitat for macro life. The chicken coop is known for seahorses, and divers also find octopus, cuttlefish, wrasse, blennies, eels, crustaceans, rays and, in winter, Port Jackson sharks.
The drawback is visibility. Silt and heavy use mean 2–5 m is typical, and visibility worsens as the day goes on. On a quiet winter weekday it can reach 10 m or more.
The trail suits students, newly certified divers practising navigation, night divers and macro photographers. With permanent lines, a dive flag and shelter from most winds, it is dependable and easy to organise.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Rockingham Wreck Trail is recorded as Artificial Reef in Perth. The listed access is shore. 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.
- 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 Rockingham Wreck Trail 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 Rockingham Wreck Trail 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
West Australian seahorses, octopus, cuttlefish, wrasse, blennies, eels, crustaceans, nudibranchs, rays, Port Jackson sharks (winter), soft corals, sponges
Location
A trail of small scuttled boats, two light aircraft, steel structures and tyre reefs in 10–18 m, about 100–150 m off Rockingham Beach from the end of Flinders Lane.
Facilities nearby
Car park at the end of Flinders Lane; Rockingham foreshore toilets, showers, cafes and restaurants within a short walk; dive shops and air fills in Rockingham.
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
divingwawrecks.comhowiesscuba.comrockingham.wa.gov.aurockingham.wa.gov.aumarinelife.org.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
