Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef
Kangaroo Island, South Australia · near Kingscote
| Depth | 3–7 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Access | Shore or Boat |
| Entry | Shore entry from the Kingscote foreshore or short boat run |
| Current | Mild |
| Visibility | 5-10 m |
| Water | summer 17-20 °C, winter 13-14 °C |
| Suit | 7 mm wetsuit with hood most of the year; 5 mm acceptable Feb-Apr; drysuit popular in winter |
| Best season | Year-round; autumn-winter clearest |
| Bottom time | 50 min |
| Position | not published |
| Permit | Protected historic shipwreck remains – do not disturb |
| Nearest chamber | Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – aeromedical retrieval from Kingscote (Kangaroo Island Health Service) is required; ~45 min flight. DAN/Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef
Also known as Fanny M, Kingscote/Nepean Bay reef
Anchors and timbers of the 1884 barque Fanny M hidden in a sheltered weedy reef off Kingscote.
Near Kingscote · Kangaroo Island, South Australia
- Depth
- 3–7 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 17-20 °C
- Visibility
- 5-10 m
Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef3–7 m · Open Water · Shore
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
Off-peak nowBest months: March, April, May, June, July, August.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 3–7 m
- Typical depth
- 6 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Shore or Boat
- Dive centre needed
- Recommended
- Shore / independent
- Possible (experienced only)
- Current
- Mild
- Visibility
- 5-10 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 17-20 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 13-14 °C
- Water
- Temperate
- Bottom time
- 50 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- Possible
- Snorkel friendly
- Yes
Exposure suit
7 mm wetsuit with hood most of the year; 5 mm acceptable Feb-Apr; drysuit popular in winter
Location
Kingscote / Nepean Bay
No published coordinates. The map above shows the general area, estimated from other documented sites near Kingscote.
Primary source: marinelife.org.auMarine park & permits
Protected historic shipwreck remains – do not disturb
Nearest recompression chamber
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – aeromedical retrieval from Kingscote (Kangaroo Island Health Service) is required; ~45 min flight. DAN/Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200.
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef →
A day-by-day plan for Kangaroo Island 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
Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef is a wreck shore dive for experienced divers in Kangaroo Island, SA, 3–7 m, suited to Open Water divers.
Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Why dive here
- Anchors and timbers of the 1884 barque Fanny M hidden in a sheltered weedy reef off Kingscote.
- Sunk in 1884 (Composite barque, 159 ft (48.5 m), 678 tons); protected as underwater cultural heritage, so look but do not touch.
- Snorkel-friendly, so non-diving companions can join at the surface.
- Rarely dived: expect to have the site to yourself, and plan your own logistics.
About Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef
The shallow weedy reef of Nepean Bay off Kingscote is an easy dive with a small piece of history. The Marine Life Network lists Kingscote/Nepean Bay as a 5-7 m shore dive over shallow weedy reef that includes the Fanny M, a 159 ft composite barque that went ashore in strong winds in 1884. According to shipwreck records, she was destroyed two days later by a fire in mysterious circumstances.
Today the wreck is mostly buried, with anchors the most visible feature, lying in about 7 m. It is not a structural wreck dive; it is a reef dive where you look for timbers, fastenings and anchors half hidden in sand and weed. Around it the bay's typical community flourishes – seagrass and brown algae, sponges, weedy seadragons, leatherjackets, wrasse, whiting, cuttlefish and rays – in sheltered water that is usually calm when the island's exposed coasts are not.
The site's value is as another sheltered option near Kingscote and as a glimpse of the island's long maritime record. Kangaroo Island has more than 80 recorded shipwrecks; most of the dramatic ones are on the wild south and west coasts, but the Fanny M is in the one place you can almost always dive. Treat all remains as protected: historic shipwrecks in South Australia may not be disturbed. It suits beginners, snorkellers on calm days and wreck enthusiasts who enjoy searching for fragments. A guided dive with the local shop is the easiest way to find the anchors, and it can be combined with a jetty dive the same day.
Wreck details
Composite barque, 159 ft (48.5 m), 678 tons · Sunk 1884 · Protected historic shipwreck
Era: colonial sail and steam. Oldest wrecks · Wartime wrecks · Scuttled warships
Other wrecks of the same era
- Star of Greece Wreck · Max 6 m · Fleurieu Peninsula & Victor Harbor
- Cape Jervis Barge (Hopper Barge No. 3) · Max 7 m · Fleurieu Peninsula & Victor Harbor
- Lady Kinnaird Wreck · Max 6 m · Whyalla & Upper Spencer Gulf
- Geltwood Wreck · Depth not published · Limestone Coast
- Chang Chow Wreck (K'gari) · Max 6 m · Hervey Bay & K'gari
- SS Speedwell wreck · Max 14 m · Central Coast
Getting there & entry
Shallow weedy reef in Nepean Bay north-east of Kingscote with the mostly buried remains of the composite barque Fanny M (1884) in about 7 m.
From Kingscote (60 km from the Penneshaw ferry terminal) the reef lies along the Nepean Bay shoreline north-east of town. Shore divers enter from the foreshore; the wreck is best found by a short boat run from the Kingscote ramp using local marks, as the remains are mostly buried. Ask Kangaroo Island Dive & Adventures for current positions.
Kingscote is about 45-50 minutes' drive from the ferry.
Entry: Shore entry from the Kingscote foreshore or short boat run
Facilities: Kingscote foreshore parking, toilets, boat ramp, cafes; fills via Kangaroo Island Dive & Adventures (confirm).
Weather, swell & tides
Nepean Bay faces north-east and is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly swell, so Kingscote's sites are diveable on most days of the year. Strong north-easterly to easterly winds push chop into the bay and cloud the water; south-westerly gales have little effect beyond wind chop. Tidal movement is modest, but visibility is best on a high tide and after several calm days.
Summer afternoon sea breezes add surface chop – mornings are best. Autumn and winter often bring the clearest water.
Best season: Year-round; autumn-winter clearest
How the dive is usually run
Descend on the reef at 5-7 m, search the weed and sand for the visible anchors and exposed timbers of the Fanny M, then explore the surrounding weedy reef before returning.
Marine life
- Weedy seadragons →
- cuttlefish →
- leatherjackets
- wrasse
- King George whiting
- rays
- sponges
- seagrass and brown algae
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
- Drysuit Diver – Cold water; locals dive dry for much of the year.
- 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
Boat traffic near Kingscote; low visibility after north-easterly winds; wreck mostly buried – hard to find; protected historic remains.
Technical notes
Historic shipwreck remains are protected – no souveniring.
Dive centres that go here
Kangaroo Island Dive & Adventures (15 Kingscote Terrace, Kingscote – PADI centre, fills, hire, guided shore and boat dives; confirm current trading).
Operators recorded for Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef
Other dive centres in Kangaroo Island
General area
No position has been published for Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef. The circle shows where it is likely to be, worked out from other documented sites near Kingscote. Ask a local operator for the exact site.
Dashed circle: general area (about 60 km), from other documented sites near Kingscote. 6 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef: frequently asked questions
How deep is Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef reaches a maximum depth of 7 m, with the shallowest part at about 3 m; most of the dive is spent around 6 m.
What certification do I need to dive Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated beginner: sheltered, shallow and manageable for a newly certified diver on a normal day, though note boat traffic overhead and cold water.
Can I shore dive Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Experienced divers do dive Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef from the shore, but the entry or conditions make it unsuitable for newer divers without local guidance. Entry: Shore entry from the Kingscote foreshore or short boat run.
When is the best time to dive Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Year-round; autumn-winter clearest.
What marine life will I see at Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Regularly recorded: Weedy seadragons, cuttlefish, leatherjackets, wrasse, King George whiting, rays, sponges, seagrass and brown algae.
What wetsuit do I need at Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
7 mm wetsuit with hood most of the year; 5 mm acceptable Feb-Apr; drysuit popular in winter.
How cold is the water at Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Typically 17-20 °C in summer and 13-14 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Boat traffic near Kingscote; low visibility after north-easterly winds; wreck mostly buried – hard to find; protected historic remains. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Kingscote – Fanny M Wreck and Nepean Bay Reef?
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – aeromedical retrieval from Kingscote (Kangaroo Island Health Service) is required; ~45 min flight. DAN/Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island has clear water, granite reefs, sea lions and leafy seadragons, and almost nobody dives it. The north coast around Kingscote, Emu Bay and Western River Cove is the sheltered side; the Kingscote jetty is a good easy dive, and the wrecks of the Loch Vennachar and Portland Maru sit on the wild south and west coasts.
Getting there: Ferry from Cape Jervis or a flight from Adelaide. Limited dive services on the island; bring gear and a compressor plan.
Sources
Data confidence: Low · Being verified: Wreck position unpublished; 80+ KI wrecks figure from general knowledge.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
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