HMAS Swan is Western Australia's most famous dive wreck and, according to divingwawrecks, the first purpose-sunk warship prepared as an artificial reef in Australian waters. She was a 113-114 m River-class destroyer escort (DE 50) of about 2,100 tons, built in Victoria in 1968 and commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 20 January 1970. After 27 years and 775,870 nautical miles of service, mostly in South-East Asian and Australian waters, she was stripped, cleaned and scuttled off Eagle Bay in December 1997 in front of about 10,000 spectators. She settled upright on sand at 31 m with a slight list to port, 1 nm north of Eagle Bay.

The wreck rises 24 m from the seabed: the crow's nest is at about 8 m and the main deck at about 18 m, so divers of all levels can enjoy it. Large access holes were cut in the hull before scuttling, allowing light into the interior and giving many safe routes inside and out. Marinelife.org.au describes a grey naval hull lightly dusted with silt and increasingly covered in soft corals, with batfish around the crow's nest and bullseyes, King George whiting, samson fish, dhufish, bream, Shaw's cowfish, western blue devils, sweep and talma. Swan Dive adds groupers, and the UWA Underwater Club notes that multiple dives are needed to see the whole ship.

A Geographe Bay Artificial Reef Society permit is required, and fishing and spearfishing are banned within 200 m of the yellow marker buoy. The wreck suits Open Water divers on the upper decks and Advanced and wreck-trained divers who want to explore inside.

Swan Dive runs the main charters, departing from Busselton (the shop and cafe are at Port Geographe Marina) on a four-hour trip that includes two dives on the wreck. Private boats can launch at the Quindalup or Dunsborough ramps and run a few kilometres north-west to the moorings off Eagle Bay; a Geographe Bay Artificial Reef Society permit (day, monthly or annual) is required and is sold by Swan Dive and through the Busselton and Dunsborough visitor centres. Tie off to one of the two public moorings (white floats) on the bow and stern.

Divingwawrecks gives a working limit of under 1.5 m swell. The wreck lies in the shelter of Cape Naturaliste and is protected from south-westerly swell, but northerly and north-westerly winds and winter storms roll swell into the bay. The peak season is mid-September to mid-May.

Mornings are calmer before the sea breeze; visibility is usually 15-25 m.

Descend the bow or stern mooring line, pass the crow's nest at 8 m and the main deck at about 18 m, and explore the superstructure and bridge; Open Water divers stay on the upper decks, while Advanced divers can drop to the hull and sand at 31 m and enter through the large cut-outs. Plan a second dive for the other end of the ship and finish with a safety stop on the mooring.

Nitrox available from Swan Dive and useful for longer bottom times; wreck specialty recommended for interior penetration; suitable for technical training.

Swan Dive (Busselton/Port Geographe) - daily wreck trips in season, guided or unguided (two dives, about 4 hours; all levels from Open Water to technical, must have dived within 6 months); Cape Dive (Dunsborough) and The Dive Shed (Busselton) historically also ran charters. Private boats with a GBARS permit.