Meet the site
The SS Northern Firth was built in 1922 at the Grangemouth Dockyard in Scotland as the SS Willowpark and renamed by 1932. She was a 1,931-gross-ton steel steamer, 280 feet long and 42 feet wide, with a single triple-expansion engine, owned by the North British Shipping Company and chartered to James Patrick and Company. On 21 February 1932 she struck a submerged reef just off Brush Island, south of Bawley Point. A hole was torn in her side and the engine room flooded quickly. Strong north-easterly winds then drove her onto the north-eastern corner of the island. All the crew reached shore safely.
The cargo, valued at £90,000, included shoes, clothing, liquor, beer, glycerine and syrup, and locals helped themselves before a wreck guard arrived. Salvors worked the wreck from 25 February to 10 March 1932, by which time she was breaking up quickly. A Marine Court of Inquiry cleared the second mate because the reef was not on the Admiralty chart.
Today the Northern Firth is a scatter of rusted steel plates and frames on the reef and sand beside the island, with some pieces visible on the island and the mainland shore. The one substantial feature is a huge boiler, still lying as it would in the ship, which is wide enough for divers to swim through side by side. McFadyen dived it in 1993 and then failed to find it again in 1995 and 1996. The Marine Life Network gives the boiler depth as 26 m, while other accounts suggest much of the wreckage is shallower. Surrounding reef carries kelp, sponges and schools of reef fish. Brush Island is in the Batemans Marine Park and is also grey nurse shark habitat. It is a long trip for a scattered wreck, so the site mainly suits divers interested in wrecks and history.
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 Northern Firth is recorded as Wreck in Ulladulla. The listed access is 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.
- 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 Northern Firth suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced 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 Northern Firth 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
Yellowtail, silver sweep, eastern blue devilfish, blue groper, wobbegongs, kelp, sponges; occasional grey nurse sharks (Brush Island is grey nurse critical habitat)
Location
Scattered remains of a 1922 steel steamer wrecked on the north-eastern corner of Brush Island off Murramarang Beach, south of Bawley Point; the main feature is a large boiler you can swim through.
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.audiveadventuresulladulla.com.audpird.nsw.gov.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.