History
The William Salthouse, a 251 ton brig en route from Canada to Melbourne, sank near Pope's Eye on November 27th, 1841 after hitting a submerged rock near Point Nepean. Her cargo included beef, fish, salted pork, and building materials.
Divers discovered the wreck in 1982. Soon afterwards it was declared an Historic Shipwreck under the Historic Shipwrecks Act. Unfortunately word soon spread among the wreck diving fraternity, and prior to its protection, the Salthouse suffered extensive and irreparable damage due to pilfering and vandalism at the hands of some of its early visitors.
All recreational diving was banned, allowing mapping and stabilisation of the rapidly deteriorating wreck. The wreck re-opened to divers in 1992, with strict limits on visitation.
The Wreck Today

The William Salthouse lies about 600m north of Pope's Eye, on a sandy bottom in 12m of water, appearing as a raised sand hill about 3m high. While the superstructure and upper hull have collapsed, the lower portion of the hull, along with much of the assorted cargo, lies preserved in the sand. Artificial sea grass mats have been laid around the dune to stabilise the site.
This is a very fragile wreck site, and divers are urged to treat it gently. Extreme care must be taken not to disturb any part of the wreck structure, its contents or the sand which protects the artefacts from damage. Any further deterioration in the condition of the William Salthouse will undoubtedly result in a re-introduction of a total ban on recreational diving on the site.
Note:
Heritage Victoria has undertaken extensive study and careful evaluation of the wreck site, and an excellent pamphlet on their work is available. Being such a unique and relatively well preserved wreck, and given it's sinking at a time when the colony at Melbourne was only 6 years old, the study has provided much valuable information about 19th century trading vessels, and about early Colonial life in Canada and Australia.
Hazards and Precautions
The site is subject to tidal currents. Dive at slack water. Plan your dive to be about 30 minutes, the usual slack water period. To obtain a permit contact: The Secretary, Heritage Victoria.