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TSS WANDRA (1915) & FAIRY FIREFLY (1956)

Jervis Bay, New South Wales

Wood twin-screw steamer & fighter aircraft

VESSEL DETAILS (TSS Wandra)
Launched:
1907 New South Wales, Australia
Sank:                          
1915 Took on water and sank
Length:
36.7 metres (120’)
Beam:
8.2 metres (27’)
Displacement:
164 tons
Speed:
Unknown
Crew:
12
Passengers:            
Nil

WARNING: Wrecks should not be penetrated without proper training & equipment!

NOTE: All wrecks and related artifacts older than 75 years in Australian waters are protected by the Australian Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976. Nothing can be taken!

INFORMATION
TSS Wandra with her cargo of timber was sailing to Sydney from Moruya Heads when she was overcome by waves in heavy seas eight kilometres (5 mi) north of Jervis Bay lighthouse.

The captain made way to the leeside of Drum and Drumsticks, near the entrance Jervis Bay, and dropped anchor.

Unfortunately, Wandra foundered and sank almost immediately with all 12 crew safely abandoning ship.

Wandra sank in 28 metres on sand about 460 metres (500 yd) from Drum and Drumsticks.

She wasn’t discovered until 1973 when two divers hunting aquarium fish came upon her by chance.

The timber, both the vessel’s hull and her cargo, have all but disappeared over the years leaving her metal fittings for divers to explore.

The rudder, two propellors and propellor shafts are evident at the stern, and the two steam engines and boiler are obvious, as is the large cargo winch.

Wandra’s remains are covered in sea tulips and attract numerous fish, and a keen eye may even spot an elusive weedy seadragon nearby amongst the seaweed.

When in Jervis Bay, the Wandra is a dive worth doing along with a follow up dive on the sunken aircraft Fairey Firefly.

The 12-metre (39’) long, 13-metre wide (43’) Fairey Firefly, Firefly VX381, went down in 1956 while undergoing navigation training after a midair collision with Firefly WD887. VX381’s two crew survived but those in WD887 did not and were never found.

Firefly VX381 was not found until 1983 sitting in 13 metres (43’).

The Fairey Firefly makes a fascinating short dive while on the way home from Jervis Bay’s other fantastic dive sites.

Jervis Bay is one of Australia’s 50 Great Dives! READ MORE

Copyright © 2025 Steve Sinclair

DIVE DETAILS (TSS Wandra)
Scuba:                                    
Advanced Diver
Snorkelling:
No, too deep for snorkelling & freediving
Access:                                  
Boat only (25 minutes)
Depth:                                   
6 – 28 metres (40-120’)
Visibility:                             
10 – 25 metres (30-80’)
Water temperature:        
14 – 24°C (57-75°F)
Seasonal:                             
No, can visit anytime

OTHER GREAT DIVES WHILE IN THE AREA
Drum & Drumsticks, The Docks, Slot Cave, The Wall, The Torpedo Tubes, Weedy Valley, Burrell Rocks, The Arch, Stoney Creek and Pyramid Rock.

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.

DIVE SERVICES

DIVE TRAVEL SERVICES