SS Yongala: The best wreck dive on the Great Barrier Reef?

The SS Yongala has a justified reputation as the best wreck dive on the Great Barrier Reef. Day tours from Townsville take certified divers out to this aquatic wonderland.

The SS Yongala is perhaps Australia’s best-known wreck dive. It’s a former steamship that ran into a cyclone near Townsville in March. All 122 people on board died in the tragedy.

Skip the explanation and book an SS Yongala diving tour from Townsville.

What you’ll see on an SS Yongala wreck dive

Now, however, the SS Yongala is one of the world’s great dive sites. Lying within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, the ship is remarkably intact, and has become a mini-reef in its own right.

Over the years, coral has grown around the wreck of the SS Yongala, attracting enormous schools of fish, as well as turtles, rays and sea snakes. It’s the sort of site you visit not just to see the shipwreck, but to get a stunning concentration of what makes the Reef so great.

Find your ideal Great Barrier Reef tours by location

Great Barrier Reef tours run from numerous destinations along the Queensland coast. Different tours cater to different tastes – some make sure they go to the best snorkelling spots, others build in beach time and some throw in extra such as underwater observatories and glass bottom boat tours.

Use the following links to start picking the best Great Barrier Reef tour options where you’re going on holiday.

The best Great Barrier Reef tours in… 1770 | Airlie Beach | Bundaberg | Cairns | Cape Tribulation | Mackay | Magnetic Island | Mission Beach | Palm Cove | Port Douglas | Townsville.

Where is the Yongala Wreck?

The SS Yongala Wreck is about 12 miles east of the Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse in Queensland. The nearest settlement is Alva, and the nearest town is Ayr.

Most divers visit the SS Yongala from Townsville, a little further north however. Adrenalin Snorkel and Dive runs day tours from Townsville for certified divers. An open water qualification and a minimum of six logged dives are required to join the tour.

SS Yongala tours from Townsville, Queensland

The tours leave from Townsville’s Breakwater Marina at 7am. Two certified dives, tanks and weights are included in the $307 price.

If you’ve not done 15 logged dives, you’ll need to pay an extra $10 for a guided dive. If you’d prefer to be shown around anyway, you can pay that extra $10 irrespective of logged dive count.

These SS Yongala diving tours from Townsville can be booked online.

6 Townsville experiences to book in advance

Magnetic Island ferry tickets – head over to one of the most beautiful islands in Australia.
SS Yongala wreck dive – sea how coral and marine life have made the shipwreck home.
Great Barrier Reef and Museum of Underwater Art cruise – witness the extraordinary underwater art project up close.
Helicopter ride along the coast – get amazing views from above.
Sunset sailing cruise – watch the colours over the water, with alcoholic drinks included.
Jetski tour to Cape Pallarenda – whizz past beaches and giant boulders.

Other things to do in Townsville include small group sunset cruises, stunning helicopter flights over the city and Cleveland Bay and taking the ferry to Magnetic Island.

Townsville accommodation recommendations

The best bets for Townsville accommodation are…

For beachside location: Water’s Edge The Strand.
For a good value, well located motel: Yongala Lodge By The Strand.
For a sassy, chic resort: Rambutan Resort.
For families: Discovery Parks Townsville.
For business-friendly apartments: Quest Townsville on Eyre.

SS Yongala wreck dive near Ayr, Queensland — The SS Yongala near Ayr, Queensland, is one of the world’s great wreck dive sites. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland/Scuba Diver Life.

7 Magnetic Island experiences to book in advance

Sort out your return ferry ticket from Townsville.
Get the best of the coastline on a five hour boat tour with snorkelling and stand-up paddleboarding.
See the sky change – on a sunset and shipwrecks cruise.
See all the island highlights – on an afternoon island tour combining heritage, culture and nature.
Cram it all in on a five hour comprehensive island tour.
Take to the water on a lunchtime sailing cruise.
See subaquatic creativity – on a Museum of Underwater Art and Great Barrier Reef day trip.