Meet the site
The Betsey Island graveyard, west of Little Betsey Island at the mouth of the Derwent, is Hobart's ships' graveyard: from the 1930s to the 1980s obsolete vessels, barges and sections of the old floating bridge were towed here and scuttled in about 20-34 m. The Marine Life Network guide calls it a huge concentration of wreck dives very close to Hobart, with a pebble-and-mud bottom that stirs up easily, poor visibility after bad weather or decaying Storm Bay swell, and massive yellow and white jewel anemones and, at times, hordes of school fish on the wrecks. The Musgrave is the deepest of the graveyard wrecks, lying at 34 m slightly west of the Leura. Built in Glasgow in 1883 as the Fiona, she was later renamed Musgrave and was scuttled at Betsey Island in 1930. The guide gives her tonnage as 817 and length as 211 ft (64 m). She is heavily broken up and shows only a weak trace on a sounder, making her hard to find, but the stern section survives, encrusted in jewel anemones and with a prominent steering quadrant. The depth, cold and low light make this a more serious dive than the other graveyard wrecks: at 34 m on air bottom time is short, narcosis is noticeable in dark water, and a torch is essential. The reward is an old steamer's stern glowing with anemones and the satisfaction of finding a rarely visited wreck. Fish life is similar to the Leura, with small schooling fish and leatherjackets around the structure. Divers should be Deep-certified and experienced in low-visibility conditions, and use a shot line for descent and ascent. Nitrox is not helpful at this depth for bottom time beyond small gains; a conservative air or EAN28 plan with a long safety stop is typical. As a wreck scuttled more than 75 years ago, she is protected historic heritage.
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 Musgrave (Betsey Island) is recorded as Wreck in Hobart & Derwent. 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.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
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 Musgrave (Betsey Island) 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 Musgrave (Betsey Island) 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
Jewel anemones, small schooling fish, leatherjackets, crabs
Location
Broken remains of the 1883 Glasgow-built steamer Musgrave (ex-Fiona), scuttled in 1930 in 34 m, slightly west of the Leura – the deepest wreck in the Betsey Island graveyard.
Facilities nearby
South Arm and Lauderdale boat ramps; fills in Hobart.
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
marinelife.org.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.