HMAS Brisbane was a destroyer produced in the late 60s that served during the Vietnam war. In 2005, it was sunk in Mooloolaba to create a dive site on the Sunshine Coast that any scuba diver can enjoy. Diving HMAS Brisbane was a fantastic experience for discovering wreck diving.

It’s amazing to have such a great scuba diving site a couple of hours away from Brisbane. We reached the HMAS wreck after a 20-minute boat trip from Mooloolaba wharf. But if you’re travelling around Queensland with limited time, the HMAS Brisbane was not my favourite wreck dive in Queensland or in Australia. Check out the SS Yongala near Townsville if you can!

HMAS Brisbane Dive - Mooloolaba

Diving HMAS Brisbane: who can do it?

The depth ranges from 6 to 28 metres.

The main deck of the HMAS Brisbane wreck is within the 18-meter limit, making the dive suitable for Open Water Certified Divers. But diving HMAS Brisbane is more fun for Advanced Certified Divers who can go to the bottom of the wreck at 26 metres deep and penetrate the wreck to explore the different levels.

Diving HMAS Brisbane: how is it?

HMAS Brisbane Dive - Mooloolaba

Scuba diving on a wreck gives a special feeling. It’s dark and gloomy. Get ready for an exploration: you never know what may be hiding behind those small doors. It’s also fun to be able to interact with the wreck by playing with the old machines.

The number of schools of fish was impressive. I recognised a clownfish, a lionfish, a big flathead and the usual pomfrets and stripeys. Among many others.

It’s located in the open sea. With the current, the surge and the narrow passages inside the wreck, I don’t think scuba diving HMAS Brisbane is an easy experience. It was my first time inside a wreck and it required excellent buoyancy. I had to focus every second in the water, and I felt exhausted after the two dives! Despite all these efforts, I loved it and I will do it again. The wreck has many openings so it’s easy to get out at any time. I wasn’t scared at all. It’s actually fun to add some technique, and it’s very different from the other dives in the area.

Our night dive there got cancelled twice so I’m looking forward to rescheduling it.

HMAS_Brisbane_Dive_-_Mooloolaba

Have you dived the HMAS Brisbane? How was it? Share your experience in the comments below!

Where is the HMAS Brisbane?

The HMAS Brisbane wreck is only 20 minutes away from Mooloolaba by boat, on the Sunshine Coast. It takes less than 1.5 hours to drive there from Brisbane, making it a great Brisbane scuba diving day trip, but also a fantastic weekend destination for scuba diving.SaveSave

Eloise

Eloise is the creator and writer of MyFavouriteEscapes.com. She writes about her experiences exploring exotic destinations and finding hidden gems closer to home. Her goal is to share tips and stories to inspire and encourage others to go on their own adventures. She loves outdoor and nature-based activities like scuba diving, hiking, kayaking, and sailing. She grew up in France and has lived in England and Turkey before calling Australia home for the past decade. So let's get ready for another adventure!

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  1. Chloe Liying Lin

    I always wonder what does it feel like to dive in ship wrek. I believe it’s going to be very mysterious and amazing at the same time. I tried open water diving before and love the experience too!

    1. Eloise

      Yes, Chloe. It’s really as you describe: mysterious and amazing. I’d recommend being a bit experienced before diving a wreck so you can relax and enjoy it more. It’s very fun as you never know what’s gonna be in the next room you go in! Really worth trying at least once!

  2. WanderWithJo

    Wow I have always wanted to do wreck diving. for that, I planned my trip to Coron but chickened out at the last min as it can get claustrophobic down there. Were you nervous at all? Looks like amazing fun though 🙂

    1. Eloise

      Hi, Jo! This wreck is actually perfect for someone who has never dived a wreck before. You can easily get out at any time as all the windows and doors are fully opened. I’m not particularly claustrophobic so I can only compare my experience with yours to a certain extent, but as I knew I could go out at any time if I needed I wasn’t too nervous. We also had a guide who dives there every day. Also, we did the first dive around the wreck without going inside so I knew what to expect. Some wrecks are a lot harder to dive than others. I hope you’ll give wreck diving another go as it’s indeed very fun!

  3. Kayla

    I’ve always wanted to go diving in Australia! How many hours did you have to train before getting certified? And what is the range of cost for something like this? Thanks for the post!

    1. Eloise

      Hi, Kayla. I got certified in one weekend. You can study online and then get the PADI Open Water Diver Certification by doing three dives in a pool and two dives in the ocean, with exercise to complete. Diving tariffs always depend on the location where you dive and what’s included (boat dives or shore dives, equipment…). In Australia, which is an expensive country, it’s often around $100 per dive when the site isn’t too far away. But you can often find better deals when you do a certification!

  4. knycx

    Lovely photos and amazing experience! It is super fun to dive in a ship wreck because there could be surprises at different corner or places, and it’s extraordinary to see so many fish swimming around it! Thanks for the introduction and I might go there next time I am in Brisbane!

    1. Eloise

      Thank you! Some people hate surprises but I agree with you, I find it exciting 🙂

  5. Cat

    I have always wanted to do a wreck dive. This looks like such a unique experience. Brisbane seems like the perfect place for this!

    1. Eloise

      Hello, Cat. Yes, the HMAS Brisbane is a perfect place for a first wreck dive. I found it really cool and I’d love to do it again!

  6. Isabel Leong

    Woah brisbane! That’s something I’ve not seen in a long while, you can’t see how excited I am behind my screen. Got to go soon! 🙂

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