The Tangalooma Wrecks of Moreton Island

The shipwrecks of Tangalooma are located on the western side of Moreton Island near the township of Tangalooma—a former whaling station. Moreton Island is a large sand island—the third largest in the world—located on the coast of south-east Queensland, Australia, which together with Fraser Island, forms the largest sand structure in the world.

The wrecks comprise fifteen vessels that have been deliberately sunk near the coast to form a breakwall for small boats, also creating an amazing wreck dive and snorkel site in the process. The Tangalooma Wrecks provide good diving in depths from 2-10 m and visibility up to 8 m. Even in this shallow water, the wrecks attract an amazing amount of marine life, including wobbegongs, trevally, kingfish, yellowtail and tropical fish.

The wrecks were formed in 1963, when a group of boat owners requested the construction of a man-made harbour just off the island for safe anchorage. As a result of lobbying, their request was granted and approximately 15 junk ships were buried in a sandbank off Moreton Island. The decommissioned vessels included old barges, dredges and flatboats, with the Maryborough taking the lead as the first vessel to be sunk in the waters. The huge structure created a breakwall, which served as a sanctuary to protect smaller boats. On top of that, the wrecks also provide a great place to dive and snorkel. Tangalooma is a popular attraction of Moreton Island.