Shipwreck Became A Floating Forest Off The Coast Of Sydney Australia

In Nature by Anja, May 11, 2016

There are a lot of shipwrecks in Sydney’s Homebush Bay, but none quite like the SS Ayrfield, also known as “The Floating Forest” for the lush mangrove vegetation that now covers its rusty hull.

The SS Ayrfield – previously known as SS Corrimal – was a collier ship built in England in 1911 and used by the Commonwealth Government during World War II to transport supplies to American troops in the Pacific.

Shipwreck floating forest sydney australia

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It was sold in 1950 and operated as a collier on the sixty-miler run between Newcastle and Sydney, until 1972 when the ship’s registration was canceled and it was sent to its final resting place, Homebush Bay.

Before the 2000 Olympic Games, this place was a ship breaking zone, and the dozens of shipwrecks that still remain here are a constant reminder of its history. Some say there’s a certain creepiness about the Homebush Bay ship graveyard, but that is lessened by the unique look of the SS Ayrfield, which locals often refer to as the Floating Forest.

A bunch of full-grown mangrove trees now call this rusty partly-submerged piece of metal home

The shipwreck creates a new and unique attraction that draws in photographers and tourists from all over the world.

The huge trees make it look like a haunted mansion, especially in the solitude of the night. Nevertheless it is nice to see an abandoned old ship so full of life.