Tangalooma Wrecks

The Tangalooma Wrecks is a cluster of 15 deliberately scuttled vessels off the western shore of Moreton Island (Mulgumpin), near Tangalooma, about 38 km northeast of Brisbane, Queensland. Sunk between 1963 and 1984 to form a breakwater for small boats, the wrecks now form an artificial reef within Moreton Bay Marine Park. The shallow, rusted hulls are a prominent snorkeling and diving site, visible from the beach and accessible only by boat.

Visitors can expect a line of rusted ship hulls partially submerged in shallow turquoise water just off a sandy beach on the sheltered western side of Moreton Island. The wrecks are close to shore and visible above and below water. The setting is an island beach with clear water, sand, and fringing marine life. Visitors can snorkel or dive around the hulls, kayak alongside them, view them from boat tours, or observe from the beach. The area is undeveloped at the wrecks themselves, with resort facilities a short distance away.

Between 1963 and 1984, 15 vessels including former dredges, barges, tugboats and a former gunboat were deliberately scuttled in a line off Tangalooma to provide sheltered anchorage for recreational boat owners. The Queensland Government approved the scheme to create a breakwater. Over time the hulls have become an established artificial reef.

The wrecks are a well-known recreational and ecotourism landmark for Brisbane and Moreton Bay, illustrating mid-20th century maritime reuse. Located within Moreton Bay Marine Park and Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) National Park, they now function as an artificial reef supporting diverse marine life and are a focal point for snorkeling and diving tourism.