The SS City of Sydney was launched at Glasgow in January 1854 for the Australasian Steam Navigation Company – the company's first screw steamship. She was an iron, barque-rigged passenger and cargo ship of 735 tons, almost 208 feet long and 27 feet wide, with berths for 230 passengers. She reached Sydney in April 1854 and worked mainly on the Sydney–Melbourne run, with occasional charters, including carrying troops to the Taranaki War in New Zealand in 1860. Her skipper, Captain Moodie, became famous in Sydney for firing the ship's gun to announce news from the Crimean War.

She left Melbourne for Sydney on 4 November 1862 with about 100 passengers, including a group of Sydney riflemen returning from an intercolonial shooting match. On the night of 5–6 November she ran onto rocks about 2 km west of Green Cape, at the site now called City Rock. All on board were saved.

McFadyen describes a very broken wreck on rocky reef with some kelp and sponges. The main features are the large engine, the propeller shaft and the stern section, which still lies on its starboard side with the propeller, rudder and part of the hull in one piece. The propeller blades are nearly all broken off, suggesting the engine was still running when the ship rolled and the prop hit the bottom. There are also sections of keel and hull, a bollard and winch, and two anchors to the south-east. Ironwork has also washed up on shore. McFadyen calls it an attractive wreck, well worth the effort of the long trek.

Boat access only and rarely dived. Green Cape is about 28 km by sea south of Eden, a long exposed run from the Quarantine Bay ramp that is only sensible on a settled forecast. Small boats more often launch at Wonboyn Lake, but the lake entrance and bar are shallow and can only be crossed within about two hours either side of a high tide of 1.8 m or more, so a trip needs a morning high tide and no southerly swell.

The wreck lies off City Rock, a very large rock sloping down to the east about 2 km west of Green Cape. Line up about 50 m off its corner using McFadyen's marks and drop anchor; this should put you very close to the main part of the wreck.

The Marine Life Network says the wreck can only be dived in exceptionally calm weather. McFadyen advises no swell at all from the south; strong north-easterly winds and seas should be manageable because the site faces north. Access depends on the Wonboyn bar tide window (about two hours either side of a morning high tide of 1.8 m or more) or a very settled forecast for the long run from Eden.

From the anchor, locate the large engine and follow the prop shaft to the stern section, which still lies on its starboard side with propeller (blades broken) and rudder. Explore the pieces of keel, hull, bollards and winch, then swim south-east to find the two anchors – the port anchor where it fell and the starboard one out on the sand where the lifeboat carried it.

Protected under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018. Remote-diving safety equipment essential.

No scheduled trips; Merimbula Divers Lodge will organise Green Cape dives for groups depending on weather and season (McFadyen). Otherwise private boats from Wonboyn or Eden.