SS Yongala Diving — Australia

The SS Yongala sank in a cyclone in 1911 and is now arguably the world's best wreck dive for marine life density. Giant groupers the size of cars, sea snakes by the dozen, bull sharks, eagle rays, and massive turtles all call this 110m wreck home. The biomass per square meter here is staggering — the wreck is an oasis in otherwise sandy seabed.

Score
58.5 / 100
Country
Australia
Region
Asia-Pacific
Area
Queensland
Nearest airport
Townsville (TSV)
Visibility
9–24 m
Water temperature
22–30 °C
Max depth
30 m
Current strength
moderate
Dive types
wreck, pelagic
Best months
May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Minimum certification
Open Water
Access type
boat
Average 2-tank dive cost
$150 USD
Budget tier
mid range
Key species
manta ray, whale shark, whale, humpback, seal
Google rating
0 (0 reviews)
Top operators
Yongala Dive, Adrenalin Snorkel & Dive
Nearest hyperbaric chamber
Townsville Hospital Hyperbaric Unit (~80 km)
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World Class
Intermediate
SS Yongala
AustraliaAsia-Pacific
58.5

SCORE

-19.3058°N

147.6222°E

The SS Yongala sank in a cyclone in 1911 and is now arguably the world's best wreck dive for marine life density. Giant groupers the size of cars, sea snakes by the dozen, bull sharks, eagle rays, and massive turtles all call this 110m wreck home. The biomass per square meter here is staggering — the wreck is an oasis in otherwise sandy seabed.

Australia's Greatest Wreck Dive

Visibility9–24 m
Temperature22–30°C
Max Depth30 m
Currentmoderate
2-Tank Dive$150
Best MonthsMay, June, July, August
CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

ML68.0CH32.0VIS67.0SV36.0TMP65.0DA56.0OP78.0TS64.0GT68.0VAL43.0CRD57.0SP70.0

Marine Life

68.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity
80
Megafauna Encounters
84
Reef Fish Abundance
90
Macro Life
0
Endemic Species
45
Marine Life Diversity
68.0
Coral & Reef Health
32.0
Visibility & Conditions
67.0
Dive Site Variety
36.0
Water Temperature
65.0
Depth & Access
56.0
Operator Quality
78.0
Topside Experience
64.0
Getting There
68.0
Value & Cost
43.0
Crowding
57.0
Social Proof
70.0

Key Species

manta raywhale sharkwhalehumpbackseal

Dive Types

wreckpelagic

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

Alva Beach swimmingBowling Green Bay National Parkday trip to Townsville

Nearby Cultural Sites

  • Museum of Tropical Queensland (Townsville)
  • SS Yongala Memorial

Non-Diver Partner Score

4/10

Limited topside — plan ahead for non-diving partners.

Family FriendlyNot recommended
Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org
Hyperbaric Chamber80 km — Townsville Hospital Hyperbaric Unit
Nearest Hospital80 km

Drive to Townsville (1 hr) for hospital and chamber

Skill LevelIntermediate
Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Yongala Dive

PADI

4.8
320 reviewsNITROX

Adrenalin Snorkel & Dive

PADI

4.7
250 reviewsNITROX
Compare This Dive Site
Current conditions
8/10
Waves1.18 m
Swell0.28 m
Wind36.8 km/h
Air26.7°C
OvercastModerate wind (36.8 km/h)
9d ago
Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives
45+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification
Open Water
“Australia's greatest dive. 109m wreck in 30m covered in more marine life per square meter than any other wreck. Bull sharks, sea snakes, everything.”

What will challenge you

  • →Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
  • →Wreck penetration requires Wreck specialty training at minimum, and often decompression planning. Don't improvise inside.
  • →Current can be strong and unpredictable. The descent line is the lifeline.

What will surprise you

  • →Thermoclines can drop water temp by 8°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: strong. Optimal window: Jun-Nov for best conditions and bull sharks. Dec-May cyclone risk..

Morning
  • Viz
    high
  • Current
    moderate
  • Crowd
    light
  • wreck teeming with life
  • bull sharks
  • wide angle

Sank in 1911, now the most life-encrusted wreck on earth. Morning when bull sharks cruise the hull. Sea snakes everywhere — curious, not aggressive.

Afternoon
  • Viz
    high
  • Current
    moderate
  • Crowd
    light
  • second dive on wreck
  • different angles
  • macro on coral

Most ops run two Yongala dives per day. Same wreck, different perspective. Marine life changes between dives.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month Viz (m) Temp (°C) CurrentSea RainConfidenceHighlights
Jan11–1628ModChopWet65%conditions vary
Feb11–1528ModChopWet55%conditions vary
Mar11–1627ModChopWet65%conditions vary
Apr12–2026ModChopLight78%conditions vary
May13–2126ModCalmDry88%conditions vary
Jun13–2225ModCalmDry88%conditions vary
Jul14–2424ModCalmDry88%conditions vary
Aug14–2425ModCalmDry88%conditions vary
Sep13–2226ModCalmDry88%conditions vary
Oct13–2126ModCalmDry88%conditions vary
Nov12–2027ModCalmDry88%conditions vary
Dec11–1627ModChopLight78%conditions vary
Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects33
Wide angle74
Viz stability65
Hover friendliness70
Natural light57

Recommended kit

  • →Wide-angle or fisheye (8-15mm range), dual strobes for close-focus wide angle
  • →Dedicated video light for dark wreck interiors; don't rely on strobes alone
Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget
$2,500–$3,400

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US)
$1,100–$1,300
Accommodation / day
$50–$100
Diving / day
$130–$150
Food / day
$10–$25
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Mid-range
$3,700–$5,350

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US)
$1,550–$1,850
Accommodation / day
$120–$220
Diving / day
$150–$200
Food / day
$30–$60
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Splurge
$6,000–$9,200

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US)
$2,250–$2,750
Accommodation / day
$260–$500
Diving / day
$200–$260
Food / day
$70–$140
Transfers + misc
$50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here