At least 800 ships are known to have been foundered in Victorian waters, the earliest in 1835. They include an enormous variety of vessels, from international and coastal sailing ships, to transatlantic and local steamers constructed of wood iron and steel. However, fewer than 200 wrecks have actually been found, most since the increased popularity of scuba diving in the 1960s and 1970s.
Investigating and protecting the wrecks and relics offers a fascinating insight into not only our seafaring past, but the lives of everyday people who travelled by sea, and those who depended on sea transport for supplies and communication.
All Australian shipwrecks over 75 years old are protected by state and Commonwealth historic shipwreck laws. Some younger wrecks may also be especially declared to be historic eg; World War II wrecks.
Shipwreck FAQ
Shipwreck stories
Deepwater shipwrecks
Shipwreck discovery trail
Information for divers, or those who want to learn more about some of Victoria's most significant historic shipwreck sites are included in Victoria's Shipwreck Discovery Trail kit.
Shipwreck artefacts
Shipwreck artefacts from two of Victoria’s most significant historic shipwrecks, the SS City of Launceston (1865) and the PS Clonmel (1841), are now available Flickr.
Shipwreck Conservation Management Plans
Conservation Management Plans sets out what is significant about a shipwreck and what management approaches enable the shipwreck to be preserved for the future.
Whilst all historic shipwrecks are protected on the 75th anniversary of their wrecking, Conservation Management Plans are useful for particularly significant sites, or sites under particular threat.