Australia’s 50 Great Dives index

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GLENELG DREDGE

Adelaide, South Australia

Type of dive:

Scuttled wreck

Snorkelling:

No, too deep!

Scuba:

Open Water

Access:

Boat only (20 minutes)

Depth:

15 – 18 metres (50-60’)

Visibility:

5 – 15 metres (15-50’)

Water temperature:

12 – 22°C (54-72°F)

Seasonal:

No, can visit anytime

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, the South Australian Dive Industry was instrumental in gaining government approval for a series of artificial reefs.

The result to date is two tyre reefs; the Grange Tyre Reef (late 1970’s) and the Glenelg Tyre Reef (1983), and the sinking of several disused vessels, all close to the city of Adelaide.

The Glenelg Dredge and the nearby Glenelg Barge are part of the underwater fleet which also includes three barges – The Stanvac Barges (1954), The Lumb (1994), MV Seawolf (2002), and Ex-HMAS Hobart (2002) which is a must do dive.

In 1912, the Glenelg Dredge, originally named ‘South Australian’, joined the bucket dredge ‘Adelaide’, the tug ‘Tandanya’ and two hoppers to become part of one Australia’s most up-to-date dredging fleets.

She spent most of the next 70 years working around Port Adelaide and the Outer Harbour before being laid up in 1982.

After being stripped, she was scuttled in 1983

The dredge now lays upright and intact on sand in 18 metres (60’) of water and the depth of the deck is 15 metres (50’).

The suction crane on the bow and the boilers in the engine room are quite obvious.

The wreck supports many species of fish including brown spotted boarfish, long-snout boarfish, various leatherjacket species, dusky morwong, plus schools of common bullseye, old wives and long-finned pike.

Graceful blue devils, rock ling and cuttlefish can be spotted under the wreck and on the sand. Common sawshark have been sighted next to the wrecks, albeit rarely.

In 1984, she was joined by the Glenelg Barge, a hopper barge used by the South Australian. The barge is only 30 metres (100’) from the dredge and there is a star dropper trail set up to assist navigation between the two wrecks.

Both wrecks can easily be dived on the same dive.

Penetration of the wrecks by untrained and ill-equipped divers is not recommended due to the dangers of tight compartments, sharp rusting metal and silt.

VESSEL DETAILS
Type:
Self-propelled cutter suction dredge
Launched:
Holland, 1911
Sank:
1985 (scuttled)
Length:
41.9 metres (137.5’)
Beam:
3.5 metres (11.5’)
Displacement:
395 tons
Speed:
Unknown
Crew:
Unknown
Passengers:
Nil

OTHER GREAT DIVES WHILE YOU ARE THERE
Ex-HMAS Hobart, Broken Bottom, Port Noarlunga, MV Seawolf and Glenelg Tyre Reef.

2026 GREAT AUSTRALIAN DIVE CHALLENGE
Dive Registration
To register this dive for validation, go to: www.50greatdives.com.
NOTE: Entrants should do this dive with one of the following preferred dive services.