Historic shipwreck protected zones
Protecting shipwrecks and relics
All wrecks which are more than 75 years old are protected under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976, together with their associated relics.
Historic shipwrecks are protected for their heritage values and maintained for recreational, scientific and educational purposes. Divers can use wreck sites for recreational purposes but relics must not be removed from the wreck site and the physical fabric of the wreck must not be disturbed unless a permit has been obtained.
Some historic shipwrecks lie within protected or no-entry zones. These zones may cover an area up to a radius of 800 metres around a wreck site, and may be declared where circumstances place it at particular risk of interference.
Historic shipwreck protected zones
Source: ERIN
Anyone who finds the remains of a ship, or an article associated with a shipwreck, needs to notify the authorities as soon as possible and give them information about what has been found and its location. Historic shipwrecks and associated relics do not belong to the individuals who find them.
The transfer, possession and custody of material such as relics, including coins, from historic shipwrecks, are also regulated and permits are needed to purchase and sell relics.
Search for heritage places
Related information
Shipwreck associations
- Australian National Maritime Museum
- Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology
- Devonport Maritime Museum
- Maritime Archaeology Association of Victoria
- Maritime Archaeological Association of Queensland
- Maritime Archaeological Association of WA
- Norfolk Island Museum
- Southern Ocean Exploration
- The Sydney Project