Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Barjon Wreck
Bundaberg & Agnes Water, Queensland · near Burnett Heads
| Depth | Depth not published |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat |
| Entry | Giant stride from private boat; descend a shot line |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-10 m |
| Water | summer 26-28 °C, winter 19-21 °C |
| Suit | 3 mm full suit in summer; 5 mm full suit (plus hood) June-September |
| Best season | May-October |
| Bottom time | 35 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | No dive permit required. |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Barjon Wreck
Also known as Barjon trawler wreck
A small 1986 fishing-boat wreck that concentrates fish on a bare silt bottom.
Near Burnett Heads · Bundaberg & Agnes Water, Queensland
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 26-28 °C
- Visibility
- 5-10 m
Barjon WreckDepth not published · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: May, June, July, August, September, October.
Dive facts
- Depth
- Depth not published
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Access
- Boat
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-10 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 26-28 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 19-21 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 35 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
3 mm full suit in summer; 5 mm full suit (plus hood) June-September
Location
Bundaberg offshore · Bundaberg & Woongarra Coast
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Burnett Heads.
Primary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
No dive permit required.
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200.
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Barjon Wreck →
A day-by-day plan for Bundaberg & Agnes Water with this site locked in.
This guide is a planning aid. Conditions change daily — confirm with a local dive centre and dive within your training. Data & safety notes.
Dive profile
How this site rates
Scores are computed from the recorded data, not opinions. How?
At a glance
Barjon Wreck is a wreck boat dive in Bundaberg & Agnes Water, QLD, suited to Open Water divers.
Rated intermediate because of wreck penetration options that need training.
Why dive here
- A small 1986 fishing-boat wreck that concentrates fish on a bare silt bottom.
- Sunk in 1986.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
Conditions to avoid
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
- Spring tides (strong current)
- Any time other than slack water
About Barjon Wreck
The Barjon is a small fishing vessel that caught fire and sank in 1986, now lying on a sand and silt bottom roughly 18 km from Bundaberg. Marinelife.org.au, the only published dive source for the site, reports that the wreck is breaking up but still acts as a magnet for fish on an otherwise featureless seafloor.
What you see is a low, broken hull and scattered fittings rather than an intact boat. The attraction is the fish life that structure attracts: schools of baitfish hanging over the wreck, groper and snapper around the hull, mackerel passing through, and moray eels and scorpionfish in the gaps in the plating. Like most small wrecks on silt, visibility is modest and very sensitive to finning, so good buoyancy is essential to keep the dive enjoyable for everyone.
The Barjon is not a regular charter destination and its depth and exact position are not published. It is best regarded as a local secret for Bundaberg divers with their own boats, and a possible second dive for someone already out at the Bundaberg offshore marks. Because the hull is collapsing, penetration is not an option.
Visitors looking for a wreck dive near Bundaberg will find far more at the Cochrane Artificial Reef (several deliberately sunk vessels and aircraft in 15-18 m), the Karma barge to the north, or the ex-HMAS Tobruk, one of the largest dive wrecks in Australia. The Barjon suits divers who enjoy small, fishy wrecks and are happy to do the homework to find one.
Wreck details
Small fishing vessel (burned and sank 1986); length not published · Sunk 1986
Era: post-war. Oldest wrecks · Wartime wrecks · Scuttled warships
Other wrecks of the same era
- Aquarian Wreck · Max 14 m · Gold Coast
- Cementco Wreck · Max 30 m · Brisbane & Moreton Bay
- FV Miss Shoalhaven Wreck · Max 33 m · Capricorn Coast & Keppel Islands
- Dragin II Wreck · Max 24 m · Gold Coast
- Althea 2 Wreck · Max 41 m · Bundaberg & Agnes Water
- MV Reef Princess Wreck (Wheeler Reef) · Max 12 m · Townsville & Magnetic Island
Getting there & entry
Remains of a small fishing vessel that burned and sank in 1986 on a sand and silt bottom about 18 km from Bundaberg.
Launch at Burnett Heads boat ramp (15 km north-east of Bundaberg). The wreck lies roughly 18 km from Bundaberg according to marinelife.org.au, which suggests a 20-30 minute run from the Burnett River entrance in a small boat. No public mark is published; get the position from local divers or Bundaberg Aqua Scuba and drop a shot rather than anchoring into the collapsing structure.
Entry: Giant stride from private boat; descend a shot line
Weather, swell & tides
An open-water site that needs winds under about 15 knots and small seas for a comfortable small-boat trip. The silty bottom means visibility deteriorates quickly with swell, after rain and on big spring tides – dive on a neap tide close to high-water slack for the clearest water. Winter is the most settled period.
Best season: May-October
How the dive is usually run
Descend the shot to the wreck, keep off the silt with good trim, and circle the remains looking into the broken hull for moray eels and scorpionfish. Do not enter the collapsing structure. Ascend on the shot.
Marine life
- Baitfish schools
- groper
- snapper
- mackerel
- moray eels
- scorpionfish
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Courses that help here
- Wreck Diver – The wreck has penetration options.
- Peak Performance Buoyancy – Silt and low visibility punish poor trim.
Depth tiers: 0–10 m easy · to 18 m Open Water · 18–30 m Advanced (25 m+ is a deep dive) · 30–40 m Deep specialty · 40 m+ technical. All courses
Hazards & warnings
Collapsing structure – no penetration; silt; sharp broken metal; entanglement in old fishing gear; position not published.
Dive centres that go here
No regular operator – private boat or club dive; ask Bundaberg Aqua Scuba for the mark.
Operators recorded for Barjon Wreck
Other dive centres in Bundaberg & Agnes Water
Heron Island Resort
ListedHeron Island · Bundaberg & Agnes Water · QLD
A coral cay resort on the southern Great Barrier Reef with an on-island dive operation and sites a short boat ride from the jetty.
heronisland.com
Lady Musgrave Experience
ListedBurnett Heads · Bundaberg & Agnes Water · QLD
A Bundaberg-based operation providing day and overnight access to Lady Musgrave Island and its lagoon.
ladymusgraveexperience.com.au · (07) 4151 5225
1770 Reef
ListedSeventeen Seventy · Bundaberg & Agnes Water · QLD
An operation running trips from the Town of 1770 to Lady Musgrave Island and the southern Great Barrier Reef.
1770reef.com.au · (07) 4972 7222
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort
ListedLady Elliot Island · Bundaberg & Agnes Water · QLD
A coral cay resort at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, strongly associated with manta ray encounters and accessed by light aircraft.
ladyelliot.com.au · 1800 072 200
Dive Spear and Sport @ 1770
Named by sitesAgnes Water · Bundaberg & Agnes Water · QLD
Boat departs 1770 Marina, 535 Captain Cook Drive, Town of 1770.
dss1770.com.au · (07) 4962 1218
Bundaberg Dive Academy
Reported closedBundaberg · Bundaberg & Agnes Water · QLD
Only listing dates from 2012 and the former domain now serves unrelated content; Bundaberg's current PADI shops are Bundaberg Aqua Scuba and Turtle Town Scuba.
General area
No position has been published for Barjon Wreck. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Burnett Heads. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 32 km), from other documented sites near Burnett Heads. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Barjon Wreck: frequently asked questions
What certification do I need to dive Barjon Wreck?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of wreck penetration options that need training.
Can I shore dive Barjon Wreck?
No, it is reached by boat. A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Barjon Wreck?
May-October.
What marine life will I see at Barjon Wreck?
Regularly recorded: Baitfish schools, groper, snapper, mackerel, moray eels, scorpionfish.
What wetsuit do I need at Barjon Wreck?
3 mm full suit in summer; 5 mm full suit (plus hood) June-September.
How cold is the water at Barjon Wreck?
Typically 26-28 °C in summer and 19-21 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Barjon Wreck?
Collapsing structure – no penetration; silt; sharp broken metal; entanglement in old fishing gear; position not published. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Barjon Wreck?
Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital hyperbaric unit (Herston, Brisbane) — nearest chamber; Wesley Hospital hyperbaric unit (Auchenflower, Brisbane) is the alternative. Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Bundaberg & Agnes Water
Bundaberg has an unusual collection of accessible wrecks: the Cochrane artificial reef, the Karma, the ex-HMAS Tobruk (scuttled off Bundaberg in 2018 and lying on its side in 28 m) and the Barolin Rocks shore reef with turtles and coral a few metres from the beach. Agnes Water and Town of 1770 are the launch points for Lady Musgrave day trips.
Getting there: Four and a half hours north of Brisbane or a short flight. Charters leave from Burnett Heads; Barolin Rocks is a shore dive.
All Bundaberg & Agnes Water dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Depth and position not published.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
