Meet the site
Gulf of Carpentaria was a big iron screw steamer of 2,434 tons, 88.3 m (290 ft) long, built by William Gray and Co at West Hartlepool in 1881 with a double bottom and six watertight compartments, one of the new generation of cargo liners on the England–Australia run. On 15 September 1885, outward bound for England under Captain Robert Thompson and steaming westward at full speed past Wilsons Promontory, she struck an uncharted rock in the Anser Group – a pinnacle only 40 m across rising to within 5 m of the surface – and went down head first in the deeper water beside it. No lives were lost. The rock has been Carpentaria Rock ever since, and the wreck was never salvaged. She lies in 48–50 m at the foot of the pinnacle, mostly collapsed after 140 years of Bass Strait swell – nature, as the Scuba Doctor puts it, is reclaiming her – but the size of the ship means there is a great deal of iron: hull plating and frames, boilers and the engine, and the bow where she struck. Because the site is inside the Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and far from any port, it is pristine: the wreck and the pinnacle are smothered in sponges, jewel anemones, sea whips and zoanthids, with schools of butterfly perch, boarfish, ling and big crayfish, and the Australian fur seals of Kanowna Island 1.2 km away frequently join divers. Visibility of 20–30 m is normal. It is a decompression dive at the far end of a two-hour passage, restricted to slack water, and it is done a few times a year by Melbourne technical clubs and Prom expeditions. The great advantage over the deep Graveyard wrecks is the pinnacle itself, which allows the decompression to be done on a spectacular wall rather than hanging in blue water. It suits technical divers who want a genuine expedition with an unsalvaged Victorian-era liner and world-class reef in the same dive.
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 Gulf of Carpentaria is recorded as Wreck in Wilsons Promontory. The listed access is boat (multi-day/liveaboard). 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- 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 Gulf of Carpentaria 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 Gulf of Carpentaria 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, jewel anemones, sea whips, zoanthids, butterfly perch, boarfish, ling, southern rock lobster, Australian fur seals, blue devilfish, occasional dolphins
Location
On the seabed beside Carpentaria Rock, an isolated pinnacle rising to 5 m in the Anser Island group off the south-west of Wilsons Promontory, 1.2 km from Kanowna Island, within the Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park.
Facilities nearby
Port Welshpool wharf and ramp (parking, toilets, fuel); Tidal River campground (no boat access)
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.