SS Yongala Wreck - Queensland | 2026
Wreck diving, history & wildlife
5th to 9th June 2026 (long weekend)
The SS Yongala Wreck | Queensland | Alva Beach
Explore a Lost Time Capsule
Welcome to your next wreck diving adventure that will hit every single tick in your bucket list. Wreck diving, reef diving and mega fauna all in one same spot.
The SS Yongla is considered one of the best shipwrecks and divesites in Australia, a sunken monument teeming with life, colour and wildlife. For this three day adventure, we will be travelling to Townsville, our base is at Alva Beach where our accommodation and dive shop is located.
This trip falls on the June long weekend and will require just one extra day off.
Images provided by Yongala Dive
Diving The SS Yongala
The SS Yongala Wreck is a unique location, widely regarded one of the best dive sites in Australia due to the incredible wildlife it attracts, with a dramatic contrast between the historic atmosphere and the intense, vibrant marine life.
The SS Yongala was a passenger steamship built in England in 1903 for the Adelaide Steamship Company. It tragically sank in a cyclone on March 23rd 1911, with the loss of all 122 passengers and crew aboard, and was discovered in 1958 by a local fisherman and becoming a major tourist attraction. It’s now protected by the Commonwealth Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018- today, she remains one of the most well-preserved shipwrecks in the world.
Spanning 110m long, it now houses an extraordinary array of marine life. Giant trevally, Queensland and goliath groupers, turtles, schooling rays, olive sea snakes and so much more.
The Yongala isn’t about just seeing metal; it’s about diving into a chaotic, beautiful, and vibrant spectacle that will leave your jaw hanging open.
$1,280 per person includes:
4 night at Alva Beach Tourist Park accommodation- fully featured shared accommodation
3 days of diving with Yongala Dive
6 boat dives and light snacks provided
Tanks & weights
UW Photo Workshop & coaching
Expedition t-shirt
Underwater Photography Workshop: all Aquatic Imaging Australia expeditions include underwater workshops and mentoring. Read more below.
Exclusions:
Transportation
Nitrox: $30 per tank
Booking conditions and requirements: to secure your spot a $350 deposit is required; visit our website, email us at info@aquaticimagingaustralia.com.au or click on ‘Book Now’ below.
Your Expedition Leader
Vanessa is a passionate underwater photographer whose life has been defined by the sea. Her first scuba dive was in 2003 and since then she hasn't looked back. This led to eventually dipping her toes in underwater photography in 2011 and launching her professional photography career in 2020. Her work has taken her across the globe in pursuit of the ocean's most compelling subjects—from haunting wrecks and dramatic seascapes to intimate encounters with marine wildlife.
Her years in the industry are marked by growth as a diver and working hard to perfect her craft. This enables her to bring you the best tips to create your best images regardless of the environment and feel comfortable in the water at the same time.
Vanessa- image taken by Talia Greis in Sydney
Who is this trip for?
The Experience: This expedition is for shipwreck, reef and wildlife lovers. In saying that, our highest priority is to make sure we provide a safe and enjoyable experience for our guests. To ensure this, we have established specific prerequisites for this expedition.
Diver Requirements: As a diver, the minimum requirements are advanced or equivalent with at least 60 logged dives and current within the last 6 months. Divers should be comfortable diving in buddy teams and capable of following the dive plan as well as navigating a new divesite. Nitrox is highly recommended.
For the Photographers: Bring your wide angle lenses to capture large portions of the colourful wreck and to attempt some ‘wreckscapes’. The structures are heavily adorned with coral, offering a stunning backdrop for wide shots, while the tiny inhabitants tucked into the reef provide endless macro opportunities.
Learn the art of capturing remarkable images during three days of diving and adventure. This expedition will allow you to progress and finesse your creativity and technique.
Join Us: If this sounds like the right fit for you, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us for a brief chat to finalize your booking.
Our mighty vessel at Alva Beach
Underwater Photography Workshop
For those jumping on the photography train, this expedition will begin with a phone or face to face consultation with Vanessa; a quick healthcheck on your gear and comfort shooting underwater.
Before departing and for those in Sydney, we include a half day dry workshop which will provide you with practical techniques. This is a perfect opportunity to learn how to make your current setup work for you and get those desired images. Stop, think and shoot followed by review and applying feedback.
Throughout the expedition there will be opportunities to review images and plan ahead to get the most out of every dive. We know the struggle, we promise, we have been there before.
Wreckscapes: image taken by Vanessa Torres Macho- Red Sea, 2023
One of the world's most famous, yet protected, dive sites
Queensland Grouper at Yongala Wreck