Ozdiverdown

31/05/2026

24/05/2026

Not my anchor Actually. An old image, dropping in on the wreck site of the SS Investigator, Wardang Island, South Australia

16/05/2026

Morning mist

12/05/2026

Came across this in my archive, which I had not published. From my December past, expedition trip.

Resting peacefully on the sea floor, with much buried from time this is my side and down scan at a point in time of the SS Glenelg, Offshore Gippsland Coast (Bass Strait), Victoria.

The SS Glenelg foundered in March 1900 with the loss of some 38 Souls. I have posted previosuly on her, with some images.

A privledge to dive this special site, with challenges and logistical effort to get to her, it was well worth it.

09/05/2026

Another morning has arisen

07/05/2026

Garry Kerr's - The Trading Ketches of South Australia - an oral history, has been posted onto youtube, available for all to see. Highly recommended. One of the Oral Accounts is from Mary Heritage, who I also had the opportunity to interview some years ago, with a focus on the Leillateah. The story of Mary and the Leillateah, below:

A short account of Mary and her relationship to the Leillateah. An insight into life on a ketch, and the importance that the ketches and schooners had in the...

03/05/2026

Just a repost from an old discovery. Originally tried to dive it in 2014, but a 4+ metre white kept hitting up against my boat, so after waiting a while to see if it would move on, I had to pull the pin. I ended up going over to Cape Elizabeth to look for another wreck. I got back to this one in April 2016.

Small image of scan of outline of vessel attached (scanned around 2012) . Had scanned it but takes about 2 years for me to catch up to footage, so sat on it for a while.

Pleased to announce that the vessel dived last Sunday is the wreck of the Gwydir (2016) . The Gwydir was a barge that was built at Echuca for Murray River Trade in 1877. She was later put to sea. She was an unregistered vessel. her foundering caused great conjecture as to whether an un-powered (sail/steam etc) of this size should be able to be put to sea unregistered. At 35 metres length and approx 165t, and of composite build (Iron/Timber) she now lies largely buried into the seafloor, with significant sand silted up.

On June 17th, 1901 at about 11.00pm in heavy squalling seas the Gwydir, being towed by the Paddle Steam Tug Eleanor was seen abreast (side on) to the stern of the Eleanor, at the full length of the tow rope (~150m). the thought was that the Gwydir had lost her steering.

The Gwydir was showing distress and with a crew of three on board, little could be done because of the conditions.

Not long after the Gwdyir could not be seen and the Tow line was going taught straight down. The towline was soon cut. The Eleanor, herself now in difficulty as she had lost her port propulsion.

The Gwydir was destined for Port Adelaide, having been towed from Port Pirie by the Eleanor. There was communication by crew to the captain of the Eleanor that shelter should be sought, however it was not clear as to whether the captain acknowledged or not. The Captain chose to maintain course.

The 3 crew (of the Gwydir) lost their lives to the foundering. The gwydir had its own boat and so to the Eleanor, however they could not be put to sea due to the howling conditions.

The Eleanor herself now lies on a reef NE of Kirkby Island in the Sir Joseph Banks Group.

The Gwydir has some machinery lying on the seafloor, including her Anchor and Winch system. The Anchor lies to Port. She had a mast for sail, recently fitted, however it was to assist more-so than for propulsion. The mast lies nearly down the centre-line of the wreck.

01/05/2026

Someone recently queried the discovery of the ST Nyora. Looking back, my unpublished paper details the circumstances leading to the foundering, and discovery. Attached is my promo reel of the completion. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2318559958416489

30/04/2026

Late night researching and hypothesising. When an early 20th century chart is an important resource.

27/04/2026

Around 2009 (I think) I went out to search for more undiscovered wreckage of the Loch Vennachar, West Coast Kangaroo Island. More wreckage was discovered expanding on the amazing work undertaken in the 70's following its initial discovery. A truly sombering and amazing dive site, the very same seas that took all life, Continuing to limit opportunities to access the site.

A couple of images taken over subsequent years.

As a kid, I convinced the Naval Reserves to allow me to stow on HMAS Banks when it retrieved the Stock of anchor raised from Loch Vennachar in 1980, returning it to mainland from KI to commence restoration. This Anchor is now in West Bay, KI for all to appreciate