The Myola is one of a string of small coastal colliers lost between Newcastle and Sydney in the early twentieth century, and today is the clearest-water deep wreck on the northern side of the city. Built in 1913 by Smith's Dock at Middlesbrough, she was a 54 m steamer of about 675 tons cargo capacity with a 150 hp triple-expansion engine, owned by the Wallarah Coal Company. On 2 April 1919, southbound and loaded, she met a south-east gale; water poured through the ventilators, she lost stability and sank quickly.

Eleven of fifteen crew survived; the cook, a fireman and two able seamen were lost. The wreck was found in 1994, seventy-five years later. She lies on her port side in 48–49 m, deeper at the eastern end, with the boilers and engine rising a couple of metres above the sand as the sounder target.

The hull forward of the boilers has collapsed, but the stern has broken away and sits upright, and the propeller shows how she died: one blade almost gone and another bent where the still-turning engine drove it into rock as she went down. Two large boilers, the engine, condenser, generator, anchors, chain and bollards are all identifiable; sadly the brass fittings and portholes were stripped by souvenir hunters through the late 1990s. The Myola's distance from shore gives it the best visibility of any Sydney wreck, commonly 15–20 m and on exceptional days 35 m, and it is often bathed in blue East Australian Current water.

Fish life includes bullseyes, nannygai and kingfish, and sharks are regularly noted on the decompression stops. It suits experienced decompression divers with a competent boat crew, and it is a good progression from the Long Reef group for teams wanting a natural wreck with a real story rather than a scuttled hull.

Boat only, about 6 km east-north-east of North Curl Curl headland and 5 nautical miles from the Long Reef headland. Charters and private boats run from Roseville Bridge (Middle Harbour), Rose Bay or Manly, about 40–50 minutes north-east past North Head. The wreck rises only 2 m above the sand and needs GPS and a sounder; drop the shot on the boilers, which are the most conspicuous target.

Being the furthest offshore of the northern wrecks it sees more surface current and needs a boat that stays on station.

The Long Reef wreck ground is 4–5 km offshore in open water with no lee. Any southerly or north-easterly swell above about 1.5 m makes anchoring on the wreck and the long decompression hang unpleasant or unsafe; charters generally want under 1 m swell and under 15 knots. Surface current from the East Australian Current can run north–south across the site even when the bottom is still, so a drifting deco station or a strong anchor line is essential.

Visibility is best from late autumn through winter (15–25 m) when the water is clear and cool; summer brings warmer water but more plankton and thermoclines. Avoid the days after heavy rain when the Narrabeen and Hawkesbury outflows dirty the inshore water. Mornings before the sea breeze are calmest.

The Myola is further out than the Long Reef group and surface current is the usual reason a dive is called off.

Descend to the two boilers at about 47 m. Work aft past the engine, condenser and generator to the separated, upright stern section with its damaged propeller, then forward along the collapsed hull to the anchors, chain and bollards at the bow. Return to the shot on the boilers and decompress; watch for visiting sharks on the stops.

Trimix recommended; 20 minutes bottom time with staged deco on 50%/100%. Drifting deco station advisable because of surface current. Historic shipwreck – nothing may be removed.

No scheduled recreational charters. Sydney Dive Charters (Rose Bay/Manly) runs technical charters to the Myola on demand for T1/Tec45+ certified divers; otherwise private boats and technical dive clubs launching from Roseville, Akuna Bay or Rose Bay ramps. Expect a handful of visits per year.