Meet the site
The Goolgwai had an unusually varied career for a small ship. She was built by the Collingwood Shipbuilding Company in Ontario, Canada, as a 'Castle' class naval trawler and auxiliary minesweeper, completed on 25 August 1918 and first operated by the Royal Canadian Navy. In 1926 she became the trawler Almeria of the Boston Deep Sea Fishing and Ice Company, and in 1928 she was bought by Red Funnel Fisheries of Sydney and renamed Goolgwai. When the Second World War broke out the Royal Australian Navy requisitioned her on 13 September 1939 and commissioned her as HMAS Goolgwai (FY94), an auxiliary minesweeper, before she returned to fishing in 1945. The ship was 38 m long overall, 7 m wide and 271 tons, driven by a coal-fired triple-expansion steam engine. In May 1955, returning to Sydney in thick fog with 400 boxes of fish, she ran onto North Point, Malabar – known locally as Boora Point, the outer eastern point of Long Bay. Ten of the eleven crew got ashore (the ship's dog was lost but the cat was saved). The trawler sat on the platform for weeks and on 6 June 1955 heavy seas broke her into pieces and washed her off into the bay. Today very little can be identified. Dennis Simpson's position about 150 m off the small boat ramp on the north-eastern shore of Long Bay has wreckage on it, but McFadyen notes that none of it can be positively attributed to the Goolgwai; the engine and boiler have never been found, and a propeller near the Malabar's engine may belong to either ship. The attraction is therefore as much historical as visual: a search dive through kelp-covered reef and scattered iron in the same small bay that holds the far larger MV Malabar. Fish life is typical of Long Bay – luderick, bream, yellowtail, silver sweep and blue gropers – and the shallow depth makes it easy to combine with a Malabar dive. It suits wreck enthusiasts with patience rather than divers expecting recognisable structure.
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 Goolgwai wreck (Long Bay) is recorded as Wreck in Sydney South & Botany Bay. The listed access is shore or 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.
- 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 Goolgwai wreck (Long Bay) 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 SS Goolgwai wreck (Long Bay) 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
Luderick, bream, yellowtail, silver sweep, eastern blue groper, mado, kelp, sea urchins, octopus
Location
Broken remains of the steam trawler and former RAN minesweeper Goolgwai, wrecked on Boora Point (North Point, Malabar) in 1955; wreckage lies about 150 m out from the small boat ramp on the north-eastern shore of Long Bay in shallow water.
Facilities nearby
Small car park at the end of Fishermans Road near the ramp; toilets and ocean pool at Malabar Beach; air at Sydney Dive Academy (Matraville) and Abyss (Ramsgate).
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
michaelmcfadyenscuba.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infomichaelmcfadyenscuba.infoRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
