Victoria's first purpose-built dive wreck, a 138-metre guided missile frigate scuttled off Ocean Grove and now a sponge-encrusted reef in Bass Strait.
Region: Ocean Grove, VIC
Skill Level: Advanced
Depth: 8-28m
Water Temperature: 11-19°C
Visibility: 5-20m
Best Time to Dive: Year-round, clearest water in autumn
Marine Life: Jewel anemones, sponges and soft corals encrusting the superstructure; Bryozoans and colourful temperate reef growth; Schools of bullseyes and baitfish through the open decks; Southern rock lobster (crayfish) in the recesses and crevices; Weedy seadragons and seahorses on the structure and surrounding reef; Australian fur seals visiting from nearby colonies; Dolphins and migrating whales passing through in season.
Hazards: Depth to 28 metres in cold Bass Strait water, thermal and gas planning required; Interior penetration is an overhead environment, formal wreck or technical training, reel and redundant gas and lights required; Sharp edges and loose items in and around the wreck, especially after storms; Offshore and exposed, swell and wind regularly close the site; Current runs across the wreck, strongest around tide changes.
Facilities: Queenscliff Harbour, charter departure point about 25 minutes away; Parks Victoria public moorings, bookable in two-hour slots; Dive shops and charter operators on the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas.
