Immerse showcases some of the most recent significant archaeological wrecks discovered through the use of underwater technological techniques. In the 1990s, reports from fishermen alerted the WA Museum of potential wreck sites in an area previously designated for dumping unwanted vessels. Aerial magnetometer, hydrographic and multibeam surveys were carried out, as well as technical divers and a Sub Aqua Enterprises two-man submarine also employed in order to explore the area. To date, there are 16 uninvestigated sites and 21 known sites, including that of the HMAS Derwent.

The wreck of the HMAS Australia was accidentally discovered during a surface side-scan sonar remote sensing survey undertaken by the M/V Moana Wave. The HMAS Australia was the first flagship of the Royal Australian Navy, and the only battlecruiser in the fleet. Another recent wreck discovered was the Japanese Type A Ko-Hyoteki two-man midget submarine, known as M24, located in offshore coastal waters off Sydney in November, 2006. The submarine was the third and missing midget from the 31 May 1942 attack on Sydney Harbour. In March 2008, the WWII Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney II and its adversary the HSK Kormoran were found off of Shark Bay, Western Australia. In the sidescan sonar search that was conducted from Geraldton; the Kormoran wreck site was located in 2560m of water and the Sydney wreck site was located in 2468m.

A CGI Model (Computer Generated Image)of the HMAS Sydney Wreck

Image copyright of Thomas Schmid

Reproduced with Permission David Mearns