SS Ayrfield Shipwreck in Sydney 2023-2024

Once upon the time, Homebush Bay was an industrial centre but unfortunately became contaminated with toxic waste. After having been rehabilitated by the economic boom brought on by the 2000 Olympic games, the Bay is now one of Sydney's residential and commercial suburbs. However, Homebush Bay’s past as a thriving trading port still exists by means of four abandoned cargo ships slowly corroding in the waters. They were used mostly to transport oil, coal, and war supplies and were eventually decommissioned and abandoned.

The Homebush Bay's SS Ayrfield is one of those ships west of Sydney. The incredible foliage adorning the rusted hull makes it stand out from the other stranded vessels. This beautiful spectacle, which is also known as the Floating Forest, adds a bit of life to this area, which looks more like a ship graveyard.

Represented as a giant 1,140-tonne beast, SS Ayrfield was built in 1911 in the UK and was originally launched as the SS Corrimal. It was registered in Sydney in 1912 as a steam collier and was later used to transport supplies to American troops during World War II. In 1972, the SS Ayrfield was retired and served as a ship-breaking yard at Homebush Bay.

While many ships were taken apart, four old metallic vessel leftovers are still currently floating in the bay. However, the SS Ayrfield is the only one taken over by mangrove trees