Meet the site
The SS Lady Darling was an iron-hulled, three-masted steamship built in July 1864 by W. H. Potter and Company of Liverpool. She was 189.7 feet long and 29 feet wide, and in 1870 was lengthened to 239 feet and 895 gross tons. A single coal-fired boiler drove a 140 hp two-cylinder engine. Her final owner was James Paterson's company. On the night of 10 November 1880, south of Montague Island, the chief officer altered course eastward and just before midnight the ship struck Aughinish Rock on her port side near the engine room. The hole was about the size of a garbage-can lid, 2.5 m below the waterline, and she sank stern-first around 12:30 am. A contemporary sounding gave 15 fathoms (28 m).
The wreck was lost for over a century until August 1996, when a fishing trawler snagged its net on it and Bert Elswyk and Paul Mood located it. It lies facing south in about 30 m, 5.5 km south-west of Aughinish Rock, 8 km south-west of Montague and 2 km off Cape Dromedary. The stern section rises 4–5 m off the sand and contains the winch, metal decking over two decks, the upright engine with prominent cylinders, the driveshaft and a half-buried boiler. About 20 m away the bow section is fairly intact but tilted to starboard, with anchors and a donkey boiler on the starboard side.
Every surface is covered in sponges, jewel anemones, yellow zoanthids, sea squirts, gorgonians and giant jelly ascidians, and McFadyen found more prolific fish life than on other local wrecks: yellowtail, silver sweep, mado, bullseyes, nannygai, leatherjackets, striped morwong and butterflyfish. The Marine Life Network calls it one of the best wreck dives in NSW. The depth and exposure make it an Advanced 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 Lady Darling is recorded as Wreck in Narooma & Montague Island. 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.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- 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 SS Lady Darling suitable for my certification?
The record lists Deep/Advanced + experience. 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 Lady Darling 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, yellow zoanthids, sea squirts, gorgonians, giant jelly ascidians, yellowtail, silver sweep, mado, bullseyes, nannygai, leatherjackets, striped morwong, butterflyfish, bailer shells
Location
Iron steamship lying upright in about 30 m on sand 2 km off Cape Dromedary and 8 km south-west of Montague Island; sank in 1880 after striking Aughinish Rock and was relocated in 1996.
Facilities nearby
Narooma town wharf and marina; Bermagui harbour.
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.infomarinelife.org.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.