The Eliza Ramsden was a 46m, 415 ton iron barque. She was built in 1874 by Samuel Ramsden, and named after his wife. In July 1875, she left Melbourne for Newcastle, in ballast. She struck Corsair Rock in the Rip, and the ebb tide caused her to be stuck fast. All crew were safely evacuated. She floated clear on the rising tide, and a skeleton crew attempted to beach her near
Nepean Bay. She became unmanageable, however, and sunk in the South Channel.
Historical Note: One of the Eliza Ramsden's crew members was Tom Pearce, later to become famous as one of only two survivors in the sinking of the Loch Ard near Port Campbell in 1878.The Wreck Today The Eliza Ramsden lies in 21m of water in the South Shipping Channel. The bow points towards Point Lonsdale. Much of the superstructure has been removed by blasting, but the hull is amazingly intact.Today the Eliza Ramsden provides a marvellous dive site for new and experienced divers alike. The bow rises 7m above the sandy bottom, and divers get a real buzz out of sitting on the sand and looking up at this towering structure. The stern is badly damaged. Many specie's of fish inhabit the wreck, making it an excellent dive for photographers. Inside the hull are many bluestone blocks, which the ship used for ballast. The reef which extends north from the Eliza's stern, is also worth a look.
Hazards and PrecautionsBeing in the shipping channel, special permission is required to dive the Eliza Ramsden. It is only permissible to dive if there is no shipping using the South Channel within an hour either side of your dive. The area experiences very strong tidal currents, so diving is only possible at slack water. As the tide can pick up quickly in this area, we recommend that total dive time be restricted to 30 minutes, and that the dive be terminated once the tide begins to run. Due to the effects of tides, it is sometimes not possible to complete planned decompression stops easily. Divers should plan conservative dive times to allow for this.

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Many ships have come to grief upon the dangerous southern coast of Victoria. The area around the Port Phillip Heads is the most treacherous of all, with numerous wrecks to be found. Near the Pt Lonsdale lightout, a number of wrecks are grouped together in shallow water, providing a perfect location for snorkeling and diving. The Holyhead, the George Roper and a number of others can all be seen on the one dive. The terrain is covered in seagrass, so whilst the wrecks are well covered there is plenty of sealife, including abalone (in season!)

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Lying upside down in 46 metres of water off in the Ships' Graveyard off Torquay, the Beverwijk is accessible from both the southern coast and Portsea/Queenscliff.A former dredge, she was scuttled in 1963. The large 'wagon-wheels' of the dredge are still visible. Her stern section suffered severe damage from weather and has now collapsed, but penetration of the front sections is possible by appropriately trained and equipped divers. Caution should be taken due to the unstable nature of the wreck.

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A steel steamer of 2076 tons, the SS Buninyong is the second largest vessel lying in the Ships' Graveyard. (Only the Milora is bigger.) She was originally contructed in 1883, and was scuttled south of Barwon Heades in 1926. At 54 metres, the Buninyong is a popular dive for mixed gas divers.

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The Coogee, originally named the Lancashire Witch, was launched in Great Britain in 1887. On arrival in Australia she served many years as a cargo transport between Launceston and Melbourne. In 1903 she was involved in a collision with the Fortunato Figari, near Port Phillip Heads. The ship was extensively damaged, and the Master and another crew member killed. Following this incident the Coogee became part of the large fleet of bay Steamers, transporting cargo and passengers around Port Phillip Bay.
The Wreck Today
Today the Coogee lies in approximately 34m, listing to Port on a sandy bottom. The bow and stern sections are largely intact, and have become artificial reefs, hosting abundant and varied marine life, making it a photographers delight. Both the bow and stern sections provide swim throughs and limited penetration. The midships section has partially collapsed, exposing the twin boilers. Because of the Coogee's size and the limited bottom time due to the depth, it is recommended that divers do not try to cover too much of the wreck in one dive. Concentrate on the bow or the stern, and, in this way, you will have a more relaxed dive.
Hazards and Precautions
The depth of the Coogee is 34m, which makes it a dive that calls for skilled and experienced divers, and careful planning. Whilst on the wreck, ensure that you are well oriented back to your anchor line. A small cave diving reel is ideal for achieving this. If you are penetrating the wreck, do so cautiously, avoiding gear becoming entangled or damaged on rusting metal.

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The 728 ton steel steamer SS Courier was launched in 1887 and finally scuttled in 1928 north-east of the Ships' Graveyard. She now lies in 42 metres of water, and is an accessible dive to deep-trained recreational divers.
The centre section has collapsed, exposing large boilers, but some limited penetration is still possible around the box and stern sections. Divers can still see the original bow rails and much of the wooden planking.

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The steamship Gambier a vessel of 1550 tons, was involved in a collision with the S.S.Easby while entering the West Channel at night in August 1891. The Easby hit the Gambier amidships, and at right angles, nearly cutting the Gambier in two. She sank rapidly and at least 21 passengers and crew were drowned. The survivors were taken on board the Easby and taken to Melbourne. The Wreck was considered a hazard to shipping, and was blasted.
The Wreck Today
The Gambier lies in 13 m, in the West Channel between Pope's Eye and Queenscliff. The bottom is sand, with light weed and small areas of patchy reef. The wreck is usually sanded over, and as a result, is usually of little interest to all but the serious wreck fanatic. It can offer surprisingly good diving after a storm, when sand movement can uncover interesting sections of the hull, and even various artefacts. The wreckage is widely scattered due to the blasting.
Hazards and Precautions
Being in the West Channel special permission is required to dive on the Gambier. Be aware of the location of the several passenger ferries, which have been known to pass uncomfortably close to the dive site on their regular runs between Queenscliff and Sorrento. The dive site is prone to tidal currents, and can only be dived at slack water. Despite its shallow depth (13m), bottom time will be limited to 30 minutes.

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The Hurricane was a 1200 ton iron ship, built in 1853. On the 20th April 1869, while entering Port Phillip Heads, 3 months out from Liverpool, she struck a submerged rock off Point Lonsdale (probably Lonsdale Rock). Her Master, Captain Johnston, inspected the hole, and finding no water continued to Melbourne.
A short time later, the Hurricane was found to be taking water rather badly. She eventually sank off Rosebud in about 12m. Only half the 2000 tons of cargo was ever salvaged.
Being in the South Channel, the wreck represented a hazard to shipping and was blasted.
The Wreck Today
The wreckage is spread over an extensive area. Despite this there are still recognisable pieces of the ship. The wreck site is covered with steel plates, girders, and wooden beams.
A small section of the stern stands about 2.5m off the seabed, and is the most intact part of the ship. Near the bow, a large capstan is visible, amidst a complicated mass of twisted metal. The observant diver will notice star pickets protruding from the bottom. These were placed by the Victorian Archaeological Survey when it mapped the site.
As with most wreck sites, the Hurricane forms an artificial reef, which is now home to many fish, as well as other forms of marine life. This makes for an enjoyable dive for those that visit. The keen diver can usually find a good number of scallops close to the wreck. A concrete cairn outlining the history of the Hurricane has been placed near the stern.
Hazards and Precautions
We suggest you avoid diving on the Hurricane during the snapper fishing season, when up to a dozen boats are anchored on the wreck at one time. At all other times, be alert for boats and fishing lines. Despite being several kilometres from the Heads, the Hurricane is only dived at slack water. This is about 2.5 hours after the scheduled slack water at Port Phillip Heads.
The Hurricane is a declared Historic Shipwreck. Any interference with it, including removal of materials, is prohibited.

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The Milora is the largest vessel in the Ships' Graveyard. Scuttled in 42 metres of water east of Torquay and south of Pt Lonsdale, she makes a challenging but certainly possible dive for deep-trained and certified rec divers.

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The SS Rotomahana was completed in 1879 and served for many years on the Melbourne-New Zealand routes. After a period running between Melbourne and Tasmania she spent years languishing by the dock in Melbourne before being scuttled in her present home in 1928.
Little other than the four massive boilers remain, although there are plenty of steel girders and other debris including the old bowsprit. Very limited penetration is possible, chiefly between and underneath the boilers.
The depth means that one should be both experienced and well-prepared before attempting to dive the Rotomahana. Short bottom times mean that you should concentrate on a section of the wreck, returning later to see more.

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The William Salthouse, a 251 ton brig en route from Canada to Melbourne, sank near Pope's Eye on November 27th, 1841 after hitting a submerged rock near Point Nepean. Her cargo included beef, fish, salted pork, and building materials.
Divers discovered the wreck in 1982. Soon afterwards it was declared an Historic Shipwreck under the Historic Shipwrecks Act. Unfortunately word soon spread among the wreck diving fraternity, and prior to its protection, the Salthouse suffered extensive and irreparable damage due to pilfering and vandalism at the hands of some of its early visitors.
All recreational diving was banned, allowing mapping and stabilisation of the rapidly deteriorating wreck. The wreck re-opened to divers in 1992, with strict limits on visitation.
The Wreck Today
The William Salthouse lies about 600m north of Pope's Eye, on a sandy bottom in 12m of water, appearing as a raised sandhill about 3m high. While the superstructure and upper hull have collapsed, the lower portion of the hull, along with much of the assorted cargo, lies preserved in the sand. Artificial sea grass mats have been layed around the dune to stabilise the site.
This is a very fragile wrecksite, and divers are urged to treat it gently. Extreme care must be taken not to disturb any part of the wreck structure, its contents or the sand which protects the artefacts from damage. Any further deterioration in the condition of the William Salthouse will undoubtably result in a re-introduction of a total ban on recreational diving on the site.
Note:
Heritage Victoria has undertaken extensive study and careful excavation of the wrecksite, and an excellent pamphlet on their work is available. Being such a unique and relatively well preserved wreck, and given its sinking at a time when the colony at Melbourne was only 6 years old, the study has provided much valuable information about 19th century trading vessels, and about early Colonial life in Canada and Australia.
Hazards and Precautions
The site is subject to tidal currents. Dive at slack water. Plan your dive to be about 30 minutes, the usual slack water period. To obtain a permit contact: The Secretary, Heritage Victoria.