Dive Site - HMAS Canberra
| Dive Site - HMAS Canberra | |||
| Dive Location: | City / Island: | ||
| HMAS Canberra | The Heads, Bass Strait, VIC | ||
| Country: | Rating: | Max. Depth: | Difficulty: |
| Australia |  |
32 m | Open Water |
| Aquatic Name: | Water: | Altitude: | |
| - | Salt | 0 m | |
| GPS Latitude: | GPS Longitude: | GPS Datum: | |
| 38° 17.987′ S 38.299783° S 38° 17′ 59.22″ S |
144° 32.610′ E 144.5435° E 144° 32′ 36.6″ E |
Google Map | WGS84 |
| 12 dives at this location: | |||
| 223 | 224 | 225 | 228 | 229 | 233 | 239 | 282 | 295 | 296 | 300 | 335 | |||
| Map: | |||
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| Comments: | |||
| The ex HMAS Canberra dive site lies in approximately 32 m (105 ft) of water, outside of The Heads, in Bass Strait, Victoria. The top of the mast is about 5 m (16 ft) below the surface at low tide. The site provides opportunities for divers with varying levels of experience and certification, from open water level certificates to advanced wreck divers, to enjoy this site. Divers are able to access the superstructure of all decks. Highlights are the junior mess mural, the captain's cabin, the bridge, galley, mess decks and operations room. These areas have been left as intact as possible to create additional interest for divers, plus nooks and crannies for creatures. Please note that this can make the dive more challenging. To see the whole 138.1 m (453 ft) long, 14.3 m (47 ft) beam, 4,200 t (4,630 s-ton) displacement ex HMAS Canberra FFG-02 ship, you'll want to do at least 20 dives. However, you can certainly get a feel for the majesty of the wreck after even a few dives. HISTORY HMAS Canberra (II) was the second of six Adelaide class guided-missile frigates (FFG) built for the Royal Australian Navy to the design of the American Oliver Hazard Perry class. The keel of Canberra was laid on 1 March 1978 and the ship launched on 1 December 1978. Canberra was commissioned in Seattle on 21 March 1981. Following successful trials off the United States west coast, Canberra arrived in Australian waters and her new homeport of Sydney in March 1982. As built, she displaced 4,100 t (4,519 s-ton) and measured 135.6 m (445 ft) in length with a beam of 14.3 m (47 ft). Two General Electric gas turbines generated speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 kpm). The hull length was marginally increased to 138.1 m (453 ft) and displacement to 4,200 t (4,630 s-ton) in 1990/91 during a major refit that included a strengthened flight deck pending the introduction into service of Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters. HMAS Canberra was the first Adelaide Class Guided Missile Frigate (FFG) to be decommissioned which occurred at the Fleet Base West, Rockingham, Western Australia on 12 November 2005. She was scuttled at 14:00 on Sunday 4 October 2009 in 28 metres of water off Ocean Grove, Victoria to create an artificial reef and diving site. LOCATION The location of the ex HMAS Canberra FFG-02 artificial reef and wreck dive site is in Bass Strait, situated between Port Lonsdale and Barwon Heads, Victoria, Australia. It is approximately: * 2 to 3 km offshore from the dune coastline of Ocean Grove; * 4.2 km from the mouth of the Barwon River; and * 6.2 km from Point Lonsdale. Location GPS coordinates from Parks Victoria. Accurate. |
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