The ex-HMAS Canberra is an Adelaide-class guided missile frigate, 138.1 m overall, scuttled in 30 metres of water about 2 nautical miles off Ocean Grove in October 2009. Decommissioned in 2005 and sunk with sixteen charges, she opened to divers that December and is managed by Parks Victoria, which has since closed and reopened the site as the hull has degraded.
Also known as HMAS Canberra (FFG 02).
Where it is and how deep
38.2932° S, 144.5376° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Everything about this dive is set by the 30 metre seabed. The frigate was scuttled in 30 metres of water 2 nautical miles off Ocean Grove, outside the shelter of Port Phillip, and four mooring pylons for dive boats were installed before the site opened, so charters tie in rather than hunt for the wreck. With 138 metres of ship below you, the dive is a choice of one section rather than a lap of the whole hull.
She is a full-size warship: an Adelaide-class guided missile frigate, 138.1 metres overall, built at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, launched in December 1978 and commissioned in March 1981. Sixteen scuttling charges were detonated at 1400 hours on 4 October 2009, and the site opened to divers on 5 December that year as an artificial reef under Parks Victoria management.
The wreck has not been left alone by the sea. Parks Victoria closed the site in mid-2011 due to safety concerns following further degradation of the frigate, and reopened it on 24 October 2011. Structural condition is the thing to ask about before booking, and it is why any penetration should follow a current briefing from the operator rather than an older dive report or video.
The wreck
- Vessel
- HMAS Canberra
- Type
- Adelaide-class guided missile frigate
- Length
- 138.1 m (453 ft)
- Built
- 1978
- Sunk
- 2009
- Cause
- Deliberately scuttled with sixteen charges to create a dive wreck
- Lies
- In 30 m of water, 2 nautical miles off Ocean Grove, Victoria
Canberra was laid down at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle on 1 March 1978 and launched on 1 December that year, commissioning on 21 March 1981. She was decommissioned at Fleet Base West in Western Australia on 12 November 2005. Sixteen scuttling charges were detonated at 1400 hours on 4 October 2009, sinking her in 30 metres of water 2 nautical miles off Ocean Grove, and the wreck opened to divers on 5 December 2009. Parks Victoria closed the site in mid-2011 due to safety concerns following further degradation of the frigate, and reopened it on 24 October 2011.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Port Phillip: The spider crab aggregation runs May–Jul; winter also brings the clearest water, while summer is warmest but greener.
Know before you go
- The hull has degraded since it was sunk: Parks Victoria closed the site in 2011 over safety concerns and reopened it that October, so treat the internal structure as changeable.
- At 30 m in cold water the no-decompression window is short and gas goes quickly over a 138 m hull - pick one section per dive and set a turn pressure before leaving the mooring.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the ex-HMAS Canberra?+
She was scuttled in 30 metres of water about 2 nautical miles off Ocean Grove, which puts the seabed at the edge of the recreational range and makes this an advanced dive.
When was the ex-HMAS Canberra sunk?+
Sixteen scuttling charges were detonated at 1400 hours on 4 October 2009. The wreck opened to divers on 5 December 2009 and is managed by Parks Victoria.
Sources
- HMAS Canberra (FFG 02) — Wikipedia
- Ex HMAS Canberra — Parks Victoria
Photo credits
- Grey navy frigate under tow across open water before being scuttled by mrpbps, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Ships sunk on purpose, and where to dive themWrecks · 14 min read
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Wreck
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