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 William Cowper was built in Holland in 1924 and ended her career in Hobart. According to the guide she was scuttled here in 1979 after a failed contract to dump jarosite waste from the Risdon zinc works; she was 689 tons and 170 ft (52 m) long. Today she lies about 100 m west of Little Betsey Island, oriented west to east, in about 20 m. The hull has flattened over the decades, so rather than an upright ship divers find a spread of plates, frames and machinery that makes an easy linear navigation along the wreck's axis. Like the other graveyard wrecks, the steel is covered in jewel anemones and encrusting invertebrates, and schools of fish shelter in the gaps. Crabs, octopus and small fish hide among the plates, and larger fish sometimes cruise over the site. The wreck's link to the jarosite dumping era is an interesting footnote in Hobart's industrial history: for years, waste from the zinc works was dumped at sea off Tasmania before the practice ended. Expect low visibility and a silty bottom that clouds with careless fin kicks. This is a straightforward wreck dive for Advanced divers comfortable in poor visibility, and it is easily combined with the Macquarie or the barges nearby.
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 William Cowper (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 William Cowper (Betsey Island) 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 William Cowper (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, encrusting invertebrates, schooling fish, crabs, octopus, leatherjackets
Location
Flattened hull of the 1924 Dutch-built vessel William Cowper, scuttled in 1979, lying west-east about 100 m west of Little Betsey Island in about 20 m.
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.