Meet the site
The Saxon Ranger is Perth's purpose-sunk dive wreck, a 38 m steel trawler scuttled in Warnbro Sound as the centrepiece of what was promoted as the West Coast Dive Park. Built in the UK as the Atlantic Seal, she fished the North Atlantic until the early 1970s, then moved to Australia and worked from Albany and Tasmania. In 2003 she was driven ashore near Rockingham in a gale. After salvage she was cleaned, prepared and sunk as an artificial reef in 2006. Sources differ on details: the Marine Life Network describes her as a 400-tonne tuna vessel originally built as an icebreaker in the Second World War.
She sits upright in about 18–20 m on sand with the bow facing west; the wheelhouse was removed before sinking, so the top of the wreck is at about 11 m. The hull is intact and full of machinery, and holes were cut in the sides to let light in and give divers safe access. The steel is now covered in sea squirts, sponges and soft growth. Moonlighters, trevally and bullseyes school around the structure, and there are nudibranchs, octopus and small crustaceans on the hull.
Visibility varies and is often milky, and the interior silts quickly, so penetration needs care and training. Two public moorings with lines to the wreck make it easy to find and prevent anchor damage.
A permit from the Rockingham Visitor Centre is required, as for the HMAS Swan and HMAS Perth dive wrecks in the south of the state. It limits numbers to four divers per mooring for two hours.
The Saxon Ranger suits Advanced divers and Open Water divers under guidance who want an intact steel wreck close to shore, and it is a standard site for wreck and deep training.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Saxon Ranger Wreck is recorded as Wreck in Perth. 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.
- 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.
- 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 Saxon Ranger 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 Saxon Ranger 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
Moonlighters, trevally, bullseyes, old wives, wrasse, nudibranchs, octopus, sea squirts, sponges, crustaceans
Location
A 38 m steel trawler scuttled in 2006 as a dive wreck in 18–20 m in Warnbro Sound, south-east of Penguin Island, with two public moorings; permit required.
Facilities nearby
Bent Street boat ramp (Safety Bay) with parking; other ramps at Carlisle Street, Donald Drive and Port Kennedy. Permits from Rockingham Visitor Centre.
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.comrockingham.wa.gov.aurockingham.wa.gov.aumarinelife.org.auavenueperth.comRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
