Meet the site
Uralba was the last wooden coal-burning steamer built in Australia, launched in 1942 by E. Wright at Tuncurry on the NSW mid-north coast for the North Coast Steam Navigation Company. The Navy requisitioned her before she could enter the coastal trade: commissioned on 13 July 1942, armed with a 4-inch gun and a 20 mm Oerlikon, she served as an auxiliary boom-defence vessel and minefield tender out of Brisbane and in 1944 went to Milne Bay in New Guinea as an armament and stores carrier. After the war she worked for the State Electricity Commission (1948–51) carrying materials from Tasmania, was sold, sank at her berth in the Maribyrnong River in 1960, was raised and re-caulked, and ended as a dumb lighter from 1964. On 5 November 1971 'Buck' Taylor scuttled her off Carrum with twenty sticks of gelignite – one observer remarked that one stick would have done – and the excess blew a good deal of the hull apart. She sits upright on a silty bottom in 18 m, rising about 5 m, stripped to a bare hull with her deck machinery and superstructure removed before sinking. It is still a satisfying wreck: the foremast lies along the deck with its steel ladder on the port side, bollards and fittings line the bulwarks, the four large water tanks stand in the hull, a section of tiled galley floor survives near the stern, and the broken rudder lies in the sand off the stern with a couple of lost scallop dredges beside it. The forward accommodation is the only part that can be entered, and the decking above it is beginning to collapse. Fish life is the surprise – the wreck is an oasis on a featureless bottom and holds large numbers of snapper, leatherjackets, sweep and bullseyes, with seahorses, nudibranchs and sponges on the timbers and scallops in the surrounding sand. The Uralba is the main wreck dive on Melbourne's eastern bayside, a 15-minute run from Patterson River, and the Scuba Doctor calls it a wonderful dive despite the visibility. It suits Open Water divers with a few dives' experience in low visibility, Advanced and Wreck courses, and locals who want a real wreck without the drive to the Heads.
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 Uralba is recorded as Wreck in Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay. 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.
- Lines and obstructions
- Discuss any known entanglement concerns and the suitability of the planned area.
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 Uralba 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 Uralba 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
Snapper, leatherjackets, sweep, bullseyes, seahorses, nudibranchs, sponges, scallops, cuttlefish, stingarees
Location
Scuttled in 1971 on the silty bottom about 3 km off Carrum on the eastern shore of Port Phillip, roughly halfway between Frankston and Mordialloc.
Facilities nearby
Patterson River boat ramp: multi-lane ramp, large trailer car park, toilets, fuel, cafes nearby; fills at Frankston dive shops.
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.
