Another coastal collier that sank in September 1917, located three nautical miles off Norah Head Lighthouse on sand. This wreck attracts a multitude of fish life and Wobbegongs lounge everywhere.
The fate of the Nerong is full of mystery and intrigue, after leaving Sydney heads the crew headed up the NSW coastline to Nambucca where they were to take on a fresh cargo, during the trip a storm of immense size was coming down the coast, as the Nerong headed straight into the storm, the captain ordered all hatches secured. The captain, knew his vessel well- She would be quite capable of riding out this one as she had weathered many, many storms before.
Very early the next morning the crew noticed water coming into the engine room and alerted the captain who immediately ordered all hands to the pumps.
The men desperately tried to stem the flow of water, even the cook pitched in to help bail out the water.
Try as the crew did, they could not stem the flow of water and were very puzzled as the Nerong had only days before come out of drydock. The flow of water became so intense the captain had no option but to give the order "Douse fires" followed less than an hour later by the order to abandon ship.
The Nerong lies on beautiful white sand, her boiler and the galley stove still remain as do the deck winches on the fo'cstle. You can still see the remains of the wreck scattered around in the sand, but the wooden superstructure has long since disappeared. Large Cuttlefish, schooling Morwong, Yellowtail and Nannigai are all favourite food for the ever present lazy Wobbies who lounge all over this site, like shepherds tending their flocks.
This dive is for experienced divers as fishing lines, sinkers and nets sometimes cover the wreck from stem to stern.
Depth ranges 43 to 46 metres.
