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wreckboat diveheritage protectedUnverified

NBM Dive Site Resource

SS Yongala

Townsville, Queensland, Australia

The heritage-protected SS Yongala wreck off Cape Bowling Green, an advanced, exposed boat dive with dense marine life and exterior-only access.

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Historic Picture Placeholder

Old-fashioned maritime line drawing reserved for a future historic photograph
Historic Picture PlaceholderHistoric photograph pending research and rights review
WaterMarine
AccessBoat access through an appropriately permitted charter. Protected-zone requirements apply; anchoring, penetration and interference with the wreck are prohibited.
ExperienceAdvanced open-water experience recommended; strong-current, deep and low-visibility competence required. No wreck penetration.
Maximum depthApproximately 14–30 m; the wreck top is shallower than the surrounding sand.
Best seasonDived year-round when charter schedules and offshore weather permit; cyclones and strong winds can cancel access.
VisibilityVariable, commonly affected by offshore current, weather and plankton.

Aquatic life at this dive site

What divers may encounter

Three reviewed connections are featured here. Sightings vary by season, conditions, and chance, so they are never guaranteed.

Profile connection reserved

Aquatic life research in progress

NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.

Profile connection reserved

Aquatic life research in progress

NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.

Profile connection reserved

Aquatic life research in progress

NBM is reviewing a likely local species for this position.

Site media

Photographs

Three views rotate from the published gallery on each visit.
Fish schooling above the SS Yongala wreck.
Fish life on the SS Yongala wreck off Cape Bowling Green.Puzzlement (Hypatia), via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Source ↗
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending
Illustrated scuba diver reserved for a future dive-site photograph
Dive Photograph PlaceholderDive-site photograph pending

Contributor media

Dive videos

Three featured video positions are reserved on every profile.
Dive-site video pending
Dive-site video pending
Dive-site video pending

Published reference location

Location map

The marker shows the public coordinates associated with this profile. Confirm current access, moorings, and departure details before the dive.
Published reference coordinates-19.30600, 147.62400
Open in Google Maps ↗
Map zoom level 1 of 11

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Recent field observations

Diver-reported temperatures

Automatically checked observations from dives during the past 14 days. Three reports are visible at a time; scroll for more.
Automatically checked
No recent diver reports from the past 14 days

A report that passes the automatic checks will appear here with the dive date, diver’s display name, and temperatures at each depth.

Reports are automatically checked for plausible dates, depths, and temperatures. They are observations, not forecasts; confirm conditions before diving.

Diver field observation

Report temperatures

Reports publish automatically when the date, depths, and temperatures pass the checks. You must be signed in to submit.

Depth readings

Why divers know this place

Highlights

Large intact historic wreck, dense fish schools, rays, turtles, sea snakes and pelagic visitors.

Before you arrive

Access notes

Use a permitted operator and reconfirm protected-zone rules. Treat the wreck as a maritime memorial; do not penetrate, touch, remove artifacts or anchor.

Plan within your training

Conditions and hazards

Strong current, depth, decompression risk, exposed offshore conditions, entanglement, boat traffic and protected-wreck restrictions.

At the site

Facilities and support

Charter diving, cylinders and briefings are available from Alva Beach and Townsville operators; offshore emergency response is delayed.

Independent resource notice

This record is a starting point for independent verification. Access, closures, moorings, weather, currents, depth, visibility, operator availability, and site conditions can change without notice. Confirm current information with the responsible operator, property owner, managing authority, or another qualified local source before planning or attempting a dive.