SS Centennial shipwreck

The SS Centennial, sunk in 1889 off Bradleys Head: how to reach this Sydney Harbour wreck from shore rather than by boat.

Sixty metres of ship, sunk in 1889 outside Taylors Bay, 200 m from a shore nobody can easily reach. Normally dived from a boat. This is how to do it from the beach.

The story of the accident that sank her is on Michael McFadyen's website. GPS positions here are WGS84.

No references, at night, 200 m offshore

There are no reference points along this coast — it is Sydney Harbour National Park, and at night the bush is a black patch. With the wreck 200 m out, the odds of simply not finding it are good.

My answer was to place a waypoint — a bike safety light — on the rock at the point where I wanted to leave the coast, which keeps the underwater leg short and the air budget honest.

Getting there

Either from Taylors Bay beach, as described here, or from the rock platform at the south-east point of Bradleys Head. Either way is about a kilometre of surface swim. I took the first because I wanted to dive it at night, and the Bradleys Head vehicle gate shuts at 8pm.

Placing the light means driving past Taronga into the National Park and walking down through the forest. There is a path. It is overgrown and not at all obvious in the dark — I lost it several times.

Then to Taylors Bay and into the gear. The beach is 130 steps down from the road. Not that I was counting.

In the water, I snorkelled the shallows for a sense of safety until I reached the flashing light 500 m along. From there: 115°, for 200 m. I know from GPS dives that I cruise at 25 m/min, so if the wreck had not appeared in about eight minutes I had missed it and it was time to search or turn back.

It appeared on time, straight in front of me, in 13 m.

What is left of her

One of the biggest wrecks in the harbour at 60 m — not that you would know she was a ship. After she sank in 1889 she was blown apart with explosives to clear the hazard to navigation. What remains after 130 years is a ship-shaped area with the structure scattered around it, mostly under silt. A bollard is about the only piece you can name.

Still worth seeing, knowing how long it has been there.

A bollard — one of the few recognisable parts

Blown apart with explosives to clear the navigation hazard: after 130 years, a ship-shaped area with the structure scattered around

After a circumnavigation, north again, then the 130 steps back to the car — thinking that each one was a year the Centennial spent down there. Then back to Taronga for the light, and yes, I got lost in the forest again.

Tiring, and a few cramps. A great night in a very quiet corner of the harbour.

Marco Bordieri, 24 September 2020