Meet the site
The Victorian Ships' Graveyard was the official dumping ground for Melbourne's unwanted hulls: an unregulated 'outer Heads' area used from about 1900, and from 1932 the proclaimed Commonwealth Area No. 3, a 6 km circle about 10 km south-west of Barwon Heads in 40–60 m. More than 46 vessels were stripped, towed out through The Rip and sunk with gelignite between 1913 and 1971, and all are protected historic shipwrecks. Sir William McPherson was a steel steam dredge of 482 tons gross, 48.3 m (158.5 ft) long, built by L. Smit and Sons at Kinderdijk in the Netherlands in 1912 as the H.A.M. 4 for the Dutch dredging contractor Hollandsche Aanneming Maatschappij. The Melbourne Harbour Trust bought her in 1924 and renamed her after the Victorian premier and Trust chairman; she dredged the Yarra and bay channels until she was laid up in 1939, when her superstructure, deckhouse and engines were removed. Ten years as a stripped hull followed before she was towed out and scuttled at 5.39 pm on 12 May 1949, sinking 35 minutes later. She is one of the more rewarding deep Graveyard wrecks because so much was left aboard. The boilers remain at the stern and, in the Scuba Doctor's words, make for a nice swim-through; the vertical engine exhausts still stand; a large anchor sits near the bow; heavy deck equipment is intact; and, unusually for a Bass Strait wreck of this age, much of the original timber decking survives despite partial collapse. Between the boilers and the bow the open dredge well gives the hull its characteristic shape. Sponges and zoanthids cover the steel and the wreck attracts the deep-water fish of the central Graveyard – ling, boarfish, butterfly perch, big crayfish. At 52–57 m she is a trimix dive with 40–50 minutes of decompression, sitting alone in the middle of the ground 2.8 km from her nearest neighbour, the Buninyong, and rarely visited. She suits technical divers who like machinery and structure and who have exhausted the western barge group; the swim-through between the stern boilers is the memory most take away.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Sir William McPherson 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.
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 Sir William McPherson suitable for my certification?
The record lists Technical (decompression). 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 Sir William McPherson 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, zoanthids, ling, boarfish, butterfly perch, southern rock lobster, sea whips
Location
Central Ships' Graveyard about 8 km south-south-east of Barwon Heads, 2.8 km west-south-west of the Buninyong.
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.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
