Meet the site
Courier was a steel screw steamer built by C. S. Swan and Hunter at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1887, 67.3 m long and about 660 tons displacement, brought out for the Melbourne–Geelong passenger trade, on which she began work in January 1888. In the late 1880s she was fitted out as an armed auxiliary of the Victorian Navy, and she spent decades as a bay steamer and excursion boat before being sold for scrap. On 29 March 1928 (some sources say 1929) the tug Otter towed her three miles outside The Heads and she was sunk in the Graveyard. The wreck lies in 37–42 m in the pilot boarding ground. The hull has mostly collapsed, but the bow and stern sections survive, both lying over to starboard. The foredeck is the best part: it still retains a considerable amount of its timber planking, stands about 7 m off the bottom and is a rare thing in Bass Strait, where most wooden decking has long gone. Aft of it two boilers sit in line on what was the main deck, and beneath them large crayfish shelter. The stern is less structurally intact but still readable, with the rudder area identifiable. Courier is one of the most colourful wrecks in the Graveyard. Because it sits where tidal flow through The Rip fans out, every surface carries brightly coloured multi-form sponges, anemones, hydroids, ascidians and soft corals, with bright yellow zoanthids over the bow. Butterfly perch, bullseyes and old wives school over the structure and blue devilfish are seen occasionally. At 40 m the dive is short and every visit is a decompression dive, and its position in the pilot boarding ground means charters need a clear window with no pilot transfers. It suits technical-trained or very experienced deep divers who want colour and history rather than penetration, and it is often paired with J2 on a deep day.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
SS Courier 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 SS Courier 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 SS Courier 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 (many forms), anemones, hydroids, ascidians, soft corals, yellow zoanthids, butterfly perch, bullseyes, old wives, blue devilfish, large southern rock lobster
Location
Eastern Ships' Graveyard in the pilot boarding ground about 4 km south of Point Lonsdale, east of J2.
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.
