Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 8 Nov 2026
Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)
Tasmania North & North-West, Tasmania · near George Town
| Depth | 4–7 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat (day trip) |
| Entry | Back roll or giant stride from a small boat (live-boat drop and pick-up is the local norm) |
| Current | Strong |
| Visibility | 5-12 m |
| Water | summer 16-19 °C, winter 11-13 °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October |
| Best season | Summer-autumn (December-April) in southerly or light winds, timed for slack water |
| Bottom time | 45 min |
| Position | -41.03000, 146.78100 (approximate) |
| Permit | No permit to dive. Wreck is protected under the Commonwealth Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 and Tasmanian Historic Cultural Heritage Act (over 75 years old): do not disturb or remove anything. Tasmania currently has no declared shipwreck protected zones. |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200 |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)
Also known as Eden Holme barque
Ribs and plates of a 1907 iron barque, 40 m from the Esk on Hebe Reef.
Near George Town · Tasmania North & North-West, Tasmania
- Depth
- 4–7 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Boat ride
- ~10 min
- Water
- 16-19 °C
- Visibility
- 5-12 m
Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)4–7 m · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: January, February, March, April, May, December.
Summer-autumn (December-April) in southerly or light winds, timed for slack water
- Best months
- Now (November)
Dive facts
- Depth
- 4–7 m
- Typical depth
- 6 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Offshore
- 2.5 km
- Dive centre needed
- Yes – boat access only
- Shore / independent
- No
- Boat ride
- ~10 min
- Current
- Strong
- Visibility
- 5-12 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 16-19 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 11-13 °C
- Water
- Cold Temperate
- Bottom time
- 45 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October
Location
Tamar Heads & Low Head · Tasmania North Coast
-41.03000, 146.78100
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
No permit to dive. Wreck is protected under the Commonwealth Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 and Tasmanian Historic Cultural Heritage Act (over 75 years old): do not disturb or remove anything. Tasmania currently has no declared shipwreck protected zones.
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Eden Holme (Hebe Reef) →
A day-by-day plan for Tasmania North & North-West 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
Eden Holme (Hebe Reef) is a wreck boat dive in Tasmania North & North-West, TAS, 4–7 m, suited to Open Water divers, strong current, about 10 minutes by boat.
Rated intermediate because of strong current, cold water.
Why dive here
- Ribs and plates of a 1907 iron barque, 40 m from the Esk on Hebe Reef.
- Sunk in 1907; protected as underwater cultural heritage, so look but do not touch.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
Conditions to avoid
- Strong southerly or south-east swell and wind
- Afternoon north-easterlies
- Strong westerlies
- Outgoing tide or run-off after rain (poor visibility)
- Any time other than slack water
About Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)
The Eden Holme was an iron barque of 827 gross tons, built in 1875 at Sunderland and measuring 201 ft 8 in x 32 ft 2 in x 18 ft 5 in. She was wrecked on Hebe Reef on 5 January 1907. The Marine Life Network guide rates her 6 out of 10, lying in a depression about 40 m east of the Esk in 6 m, with scattered hull plates and cargo fragments.
The straight lines of the ship's ribs can be seen from the surface in good visibility, and artefacts such as glass, china, lead shot, deadeyes and wine bottles have been recorded. All are protected. As with all Tamar entrance sites, local knowledge of the tides is worth more than any written description, and a first visit with Launceston club divers is the best introduction.
The Tamar entrance is one of the most tidally energetic dive areas in Tasmania, and the Marine Life Network guide classes several sites here as category 4-5 because of current and shipping. Hebe Reef, a shallow reef at the mouth, has claimed many ships since the early 19th century, and its wrecks are protected historic sites. The flip side of the current is prolific filter-feeding life - sponges, bryozoans and ascidians - on any structure the water flows over.
Launceston divers have access to these sites within an hour of the city, and the sheltered Low Head shore dive is a regular training and club venue. The nearest hyperbaric chamber, however, is at the Royal Hobart Hospital about 3 hours' drive south, as Launceston General Hospital has none, so plan slack-water dives conservatively.
Wreck details
Iron barque, 201 ft 8 in (61 m), 827 gross tons, built 1875 Sunderland · Sunk 1907 · Protected historic shipwreck
Era: early 20th century. Oldest wrecks · Wartime wrecks · Scuttled warships
Other wrecks of the same era
- Droughty Point · Max 10 m · Hobart & Derwent
- SS Kawatiri (Hells Gates) · Max 4 m · Tasmania West Coast
- Loch Finlas (Fosters Island Reef) · Max 24 m · Tasmania North-East
- Mayfield (Swan Island wreck) · Max 9 m · Tasmania North-East
- Quiet Corner – Natal Queen Wreck · Max 4 m · Bruny Island & D'Entrecasteaux Channel
- G.W. Wolff (Prime Seal Island) · Max 5 m · Flinders Island & Furneaux Group
Getting there & entry
Iron barque Eden Holme (1907) resting in a depression on Hebe Reef, 40 m east of the Esk, with scattered hull plates and cargo fragments in about 6 m.
Low Head is at the eastern side of the Tamar River mouth, 5 km north of George Town and about 55 minutes (55 km) north of Launceston via the East Tamar Highway (A8). Boats launch at the Low Head, George Town or Kelso ramps. The Tamar is a commercial port (Bell Bay), so contact Port Control on VHF and keep out of the shipping channel when ships are moving.
Hebe Reef lies at the mouth of the Tamar off Low Head, a short run from the Low Head ramp; it is exposed to northerly weather and breaks in swell. Locate wreck remains at low water, when they are easiest to find.
Entry: Back roll or giant stride from a small boat (live-boat drop and pick-up is the local norm)
Facilities: Low Head: pilot station museum, lighthouse, parking, toilets, cafe (seasonal); boat ramp. George Town: shops, fuel, accommodation. Air fills: Tasmanian Divers, Launceston.
Weather, swell & tides
The Tamar heads are dominated by tide: large volumes of water flood and ebb through the entrance, and most boat sites can only be dived at slack water, typically within about an hour of the turn. North-westerly to north-easterly winds blow straight into the entrance and, against an ebb tide, create steep breaking seas over the bar and Hebe Reef. Southerly winds blow offshore and give the calmest water.
Visibility is best on the flood tide, when clear Bass Strait water enters; the ebb brings turbid river water, especially after rain. As for the Esk - slack water in calm southerly weather.
Best season: Summer-autumn (December-April) in southerly or light winds, timed for slack water
If it's blown out
Sheltered or shore sites within 25 km that often work when Eden Holme (Hebe Reef) doesn't.
- SS Esk (Hebe Reef) · 0 km · Max 6 m
- Asterope (Hebe Reef) · 0 km · Max 4 m
- Low Head Shore · 3 km · Max 6 m
- Barrenjoey (Tenth Island) · 19 km · Max 8 m
How the dive is usually run
Swim 40 m east from the Esk, follow the straight lines of ribs and hull plates in the depression, and look among the rubble for glass and china fragments. Turn the dive at half gas (thirds where current or overhead sections are involved), deploy an SMB before surfacing for the live-boat pick-up, and complete a 3-minute safety stop at about 5 m where depth allows.
Marine life
- Weed
- wrasse
- magpie perch
- leatherjackets
- encrusting invertebrates
Linked species have their own page listing every site where they are recorded. All marine life →
Training required
Shallow enough for snorkellers and for a first dive under supervision. Any certified diver can dive it.
Courses that help here
- Drift Diver – Current is a feature of the dive.
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
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
Tidal current; breaking reef; protected wreck - do not remove artefacts.
Dive centres that go here
Tasmanian Divers (42 Invermay Road, Launceston) runs regular local dives at northern shore sites including the Tamar region; Launceston clubs (Tas Uni Dive Club Northern Chapter and others) dive Low Head and the Tamar heads. No charter boat is based at Low Head; boat sites are dived from private boats launched at Low Head, George Town or Kelso.
Operators recorded for Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)
Tasmanian Divers North
ListedLaunceston · Tasmania North & North-West · TAS
A northern Tasmanian operation serving the Bass Strait coastline and local diving community.
tasdivers.com.au · (03) 6229 1020
Tas Uni Dive Club
Named by sitesMount Nelson · Tasmania East Coast · TAS
University dive club, not a shop; gear hire Thursdays 6-6:30pm.
tudc.org.au
Other dive centres in Tasmania North & North-West
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views



Eden Holme (Hebe Reef): frequently asked questions
How deep is Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
Eden Holme (Hebe Reef) reaches a maximum depth of 7 m, with the shallowest part at about 4 m; most of the dive is spent around 6 m.
What certification do I need to dive Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate because of strong current, cold water.
Can I shore dive Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
No, it is reached by boat (about 10 minutes). A dive centre is required: boat access only.
When is the best time to dive Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
Summer-autumn (December-April) in southerly or light winds, timed for slack water.
What marine life will I see at Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
Regularly recorded: Weed, wrasse, magpie perch, leatherjackets, encrusting invertebrates.
What wetsuit do I need at Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
7 mm wetsuit with hood, gloves and boots (or semi-dry); drysuit common, especially May-October.
How cold is the water at Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
Typically 16-19 °C in summer and 11-13 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
Tidal current; breaking reef; protected wreck - do not remove artefacts. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Eden Holme (Hebe Reef)?
Royal Hobart Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Hobart) - the only chamber in Tasmania; Launceston has none. DAN emergency hotline 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Tasmania North & North-West
Bass Strait's Tasmanian shore from Devonport to Stanley and Rocky Cape is clear, cold and almost undived: sponge gardens, kelp and rock lobster around Wynyard, Boat Harbour and Sisters Beach, the Table Cape wall, and the Rocky Cape National Park reefs. Visibility of 20 m is common in settled weather.
Getting there: Fly into Devonport, Burnie or Launceston. Mostly shore dives with beach and rock entries; occasional club boat dives.
All Tasmania North & North-West dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Coordinates approximate; single older source.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction







