Meet the site
The Victorian Ships' Graveyard was the official dumping ground for Melbourne's unwanted hulls: an unregulated 'outer Heads' area used from about 1900, and from 1932 the proclaimed Commonwealth Area No. 3, a 6 km circle about 10 km south-west of Barwon Heads in 40–60 m. More than 46 vessels were stripped, towed out through The Rip and sunk with gelignite between 1913 and 1971, and all are protected historic shipwrecks. White Pine had three names and three careers. Built at Aberdeen in 1879 as the three-masted iron barque Quathlamba, 467 tons and 51.2 m (168 ft) long, she was renowned for fast passages – Melbourne to Newcastle in under 70 hours. Sold and re-registered in 1895, she became the Hazel Craig in 1905 and traded between Australia and New Zealand under sail into the age of steam. In 1916 the Melbourne Harbour Trust bought her, stripped her rig, converted her to a coal lighter and renamed her White Pine; she was later reduced to a coal hulk, and on 14 January 1947 the tug Swiftness towed her out and she was sunk in the Graveyard. Unusually for a sailing-ship hulk, the White Pine has boilers – very prominent ones, according to the Scuba Doctor – presumably from her lighter days or loaded as ballast, and they are what makes the wreck easy to find on a sounder and give it height. The bow is mostly intact, and the long, narrow iron hull of a fast barque can be traced along the sand between 48 and 57 m. Sponge and zoanthid growth is good at this end of the ground and the boilers shelter ling, bullseyes and crayfish. At 48–57 m the White Pine is a normoxic-to-hypoxic trimix decision depending on the plan, with 40–50 minutes of decompression, and it lies at the far south-western edge of the field beside the Bunyip and D McLennan – a long run from Queenscliff. It is dived rarely, by technical teams working through the south-western group, and suits divers who appreciate a sailing-ship hull with the bonus of boilers to navigate by.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
White Pine is recorded as Wreck in Port Phillip Heads. 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.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
- 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 White Pine suitable for my certification?
The record lists Technical (decompression). 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 White Pine 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, zoanthids, ling, bullseyes, southern rock lobster, butterfly perch, boarfish
Location
South-western Ships' Graveyard about 10 km south of Barwon Heads, 963 m north-west of the Bunyip.
Facilities nearby
Departure from Queenscliff Harbour (parking, toilets, cafes, fills at Dive Victoria/Queenscliff Dive Centre) or Portsea Pier (parking on Point Nepean Road, toilets, cafes).
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.
