Dive slate · divesites.com.au · printed 9 Nov 2026
Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)
Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia · near Port Gregory
| Depth | 3–5 m |
|---|---|
| Minimum level | Open Water |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Access | Boat (day trip) |
| Entry | From small boat |
| Current | Moderate |
| Visibility | 2-6 m |
| Water | summer 22-24 °C, winter 19-20 °C |
| Suit | 5 mm wetsuit |
| Best season | Calm mornings |
| Bottom time | 40 min |
| Position | -28.19000, 114.25000 (approximate) |
| Permit | Protected historic shipwreck – consult WA Museum. |
| Nearest chamber | Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – about 420 km by road; RFDS aeromedical evacuation from Geraldton |
| Emergency | 000 · DAN Asia-Pacific diving emergency 1800 088 200 |
Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)
Also known as SS Xantho
The wreck site of WA's first coastal steamship, whose conserved engine is displayed in Fremantle.
Near Port Gregory · Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia
- Depth
- 3–5 m
- Minimum level
- Open Water
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Boat ride
- —
- Water
- 22-24 °C
- Visibility
- 2-6 m
Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)3–5 m · Open Water
Dive factsDepths, conditions, location & safety
Season
In season nowBest months: year-round.
Dive facts
- Depth
- 3–5 m
- Typical depth
- 5 m
- Certification
- Open Water
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Depth tier
- Easy (0–10 m)
- Access
- Boat (day trip)
- Dive centre needed
- Recommended
- Shore / independent
- No
- Current
- Moderate
- Visibility
- 2-6 m
- Water temp (summer)
- 22-24 °C
- Water temp (winter)
- 19-20 °C
- Water
- Subtropical
- Bottom time
- 40 min
- Dive traffic
- Rarely dived (private boat/club only)
- Night dive
- No
- Snorkel friendly
- No
Exposure suit
5 mm wetsuit
Location
Port Gregory · Mid West – Geraldton
-28.19000, 114.25000
Approximate position — not for navigation.
Open in Google MapsPrimary source: museum.wa.gov.auMarine park & permits
Protected historic shipwreck – consult WA Museum.
Nearest recompression chamber
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – about 420 km by road; RFDS aeromedical evacuation from Geraldton
Diving emergency: call 000, then DAN AP 1800 088 200.
Trip planner
Build a trip around Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory) →
A day-by-day plan for Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands 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
Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory) is a wreck boat dive in Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands, WA, 3–5 m, suited to Open Water divers, moderate current.
Rated intermediate by the operators who dive it.
Why dive here
- The wreck site of WA's first coastal steamship, whose conserved engine is displayed in Fremantle.
- Sunk in 1872 (Iron steamship (built 1848 as paddle steamer)); 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.
About Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)
The SS Xantho has an outsized place in Australian maritime archaeology. Built in 1848 as a paddle steamer and later converted to screw propulsion with a second-hand Crimean War-era gunboat engine, she became Western Australia's first coastal steamship. On 16 November 1872, overloaded with lead ore from a local mine, she struck a sandbar at Port Gregory and sank.
The wreck was rediscovered in 1979 by the Maritime Archaeological Association of WA. Her propulsion system and part of the stern were in good condition, though the rest was fragile. In 1985 the WA Museum raised the engine, which was conserved and reconstructed – a process finished in 2006 – and is now displayed at the Shipwreck Galleries in Fremantle. The Xantho project was a landmark in the conservation of iron shipwreck material.
Marine Life Network lists the site in 5 m in the passage at Port Gregory, noting that the boiler is near the surface but that the water is often stirred up and dirty. It is a site for heritage enthusiasts; the most impressive part of the ship is now ashore in Fremantle. All remains are protected. A visit to the Shipwreck Galleries to see the engine is the natural companion to any dive here. Port Gregory also holds the ruins of the Lynton convict hiring depot and is the gateway to the Hutt Lagoon pink lake.
Wreck details
Iron steamship (built 1848 as paddle steamer) · Sunk 1872 · Protected historic shipwreck
Era: colonial sail and steam. Oldest wrecks · Wartime wrecks · Scuttled warships
Other wrecks of the same era
- Centaur Wreck (Marmion) · Max 7 m · Perth
- Chalmers Wreck · Max 4 m · Perth
- Stefano · Max 12 m · Ningaloo – Coral Bay
- Zedora Wreck · Max 5 m · Perth
- Gem Wreck · Max 6 m · Rottnest Island
- Georgette Wreck (Redgate Beach) · Max 5 m · Margaret River & Augusta
Getting there & entry
Remains of WA's first coastal steamship, lost in 1872 in Gold Diggers/Gold Miners Passage at Port Gregory, in about 5 m; her engine was raised in 1985 and is displayed at the WA Museum.
Port Gregory is about 45 km west of Northampton (about 1.5 hours north of Geraldton) via Port Gregory Road. Small boats launch from the beach inside the reef-protected lagoon; the wreck lies in the passage through the reef. Contact the WA Museum for the site position and any access conditions before visiting.
Entry: From small boat
Weather, swell & tides
Marine Life Network describes the site as often stirred up and dirty, with a sandy bottom easily disturbed. The passage through the reef can have current and breaking waves in swell. Dive only in calm conditions and good tides.
Tidal flow through the passage is strongest mid-tide, so plan to dive at slack water, and keep clear of the breaking reef on either side of the channel.
Best season: Calm mornings
How the dive is usually run
Descend to the wreck in about 5 m, examine the remaining hull structure and boiler area, and avoid stirring the sand.
Marine life
- Sand and reef fish
- sponges and weed on ironwork
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
- 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
Poor visibility; current and surf in the passage; protected historic wreck – do not disturb.
Dive centres that go here
No operator – visited by maritime archaeology groups and private boats.
Operators recorded for Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)
Other dive centres in Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
Map
7 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
Satellite views
Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory): frequently asked questions
How deep is Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory) reaches a maximum depth of 5 m, with the shallowest part at about 3 m; most of the dive is spent around 5 m.
What certification do I need to dive Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
Open Water is the recommended minimum. Rated intermediate by the operators who dive it.
Can I shore dive Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
No, it is reached by boat.
When is the best time to dive Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
Calm mornings.
What marine life will I see at Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
Regularly recorded: Sand and reef fish, sponges and weed on ironwork.
What wetsuit do I need at Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
5 mm wetsuit.
How cold is the water at Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
Typically 22-24 °C in summer and 19-20 °C in winter.
What are the main hazards at Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
Poor visibility; current and surf in the passage; protected historic wreck – do not disturb. See the hazards section above for the full list.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Xantho Wreck (Port Gregory)?
Fiona Stanley Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (Murdoch, Perth) – about 420 km by road; RFDS aeromedical evacuation from Geraldton. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
Diving in Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands
The Houtman Abrolhos, 60 km off Geraldton, are 122 islands with coral reefs, the Batavia (1629) wreck site and huge crayfish populations in water that mixes tropical and temperate species. Geraldton itself has the Point Moore reefs and the SS Sunbeam and other wrecks.
Getting there: Charters and short liveaboards from Geraldton, five hours north of Perth, mostly in spring and autumn.
All Geraldton & Abrolhos Islands dive sites and a suggested itinerary →
Sources
Data confidence: Medium · Being verified: Coordinates approximate. Description under 250 words – limited published documentation.. Last updated September 2026. Know this site better? How to send a correction
Nearby dive sites
More wrecks in Western Australia
Explore more