[CLOSED] Ex-HMAS Adelaide wreck (Terrigal / Avoca) – site closed since July 2024
CLOSED: the ex-HMAS Adelaide dive site off Avoca Beach and Terrigal has been closed by NSW Crown Lands since July 2024 after storm damage and structural deterioration, and the public should not attempt to dive it. The 138 m guided-missile frigate was scuttled as an artificial reef on 13 April 2011, about 1.8 km offshore; a November 2024 report confirmed the superstructure was collapsing from the hull, which also increased the diving depth to about 32 m. The two yellow special marker buoys were displaced in January 2025 storms and a structural condition report was obtained in February 2026. It is listed for completeness and because operator pages may still advertise it.
Facts
- Region: New South Wales – Byron Bay to Eden (Australia)
- Area: Central Coast (Terrigal)
- Depth: 20–32 m
- Level: advanced
- Current: moderate
- Type: wreck
- Coordinates: -33.4667, 151.45 (approximate)
- Highlights: artificial reef, ex-navy frigate, closed dive site
- Permit: Diving prohibited: the site is closed by NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure – Crown Lands (safety closure, last page update 18 June 2026).
- Issuer / contact: NSW Crown Lands (ex-HMAS Adelaide project page)
- Tips: Do not dive: site closed, mooring buoys removed. Position is approximate (Wikipedia gives 33.47 S, 151.45 E; Crown Lands states about 1.8 km off Avoca Beach); check the Crown Lands project page for any reopening. Operator listings (e.g. Swansea-based) may be out of date.