Australian shipwreck turns into ‘floating forest’

Homebush Bay in Sydney, Australia is home to the peculiar sight of an abandoned, half-sunken ship which has become a ‘floating forest.’

The SS Ayrfield served as a cargo ship between Newcastle and Sydney and would transport supplies to American troops in the Pacific Ocean during World War 2, according to Bored Panda. In 1972, the ship was brought to Homebush Bay to be dismantled, but the operations eventually ceased and the ship was simply left there to decay.

The wreck which has been reclaimed by nature is overflowing with mangrove trees, making the old ship a tourist attraction.  Here are some beautiful photos:

 

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SS Ayrfield resting in a ship graveyard in Homebush bay. #ssayrfield #ssayrfieldshipwreck #dronephotography #shipwreck #homebush #sydney #aerialphotography #australia #droneoftheday #dronestagram

A post shared by Emmanuel Cassimatis (@emmanuel_cassimatis) on Dec 28, 2019 at 2:26am PST

 

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Pink skies over the SS Ayrfield Shipwreck at Homebush.

A post shared by Jenny Lijic (@jennylijic) on Sep 10, 2018 at 1:01am PDT

 

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Saturation Extreme #ohmyimagesaustralia #ohmy #sydney #sydneyharbour #sydneyolympicpark #ig_sydney #sydney_insta #ssayrfield #wrecks #shipwrecks #homebushbay #australia #australiagram #amazing_australia #ig_australia #saturation #extreme #longexposure #amazing_longexpo #rainbowcolours #sydneyaustralia #thisissydney #ilovesydney

A post shared by Tim Rogers (@ohmyimagesaustralia) on Dec 22, 2018 at 10:55pm PST

 

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Leave it to Mother Nature to take your breath away. 💭⠀ ⠀ Lo and Behold the SS Ayrfield, aka “The Floating Forest”. ⠀ ⠀ Did you know? ⠀ •Originally launched as the SS Corrimal, the massive 1,140-tonne steel beast was built in 1911 in the UK and registered in Sydney in 1912 as a steam collier.⠀ ⠀ •It was later used to transport supplies to American troops stationed in the Pacific region during World War II. ⠀ ⠀ •The ship went on to serve as a collier between Newcastle and Miller’s terminal in Blackwattle Bay.⠀ ⠀ •Eventually, in 1972, the SS Ayrfield was retired and sent to Homebush Bay which served as a ship-breaking yard. ⠀ ⠀ •While many ships were taken apart, about four metallic bodies of vessels that are over 75 years old currently float in the bay, though none are enveloped by nature quite like the Ayrfield. ⠀ ⠀ •This ship continues to attract visitors to its majestic presence, rich with mangrove trees.⠀ ⠀ This scenery has got us mesmerized. What landmarks are on your travel bucket list? Tag us or comment below. ⠀ ⠀

A post shared by 🆘 SWELL OBSESSED SWIMWEAR (@swellobsessed) on Feb 29, 2020 at 5:47pm PST

 

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The shipwreck of SS Airfield, a 1911 Steam Collier AKA the “floating forest” in Homebush Bay, Sydney. . . #shipwreck #nokia61 #phonephotography #lightroomedits #homebushbay #floatingforest

A post shared by Colin Seton (@colin.wynter.seton) on Jan 19, 2020 at 2:46am PST

 

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“The Pointy End”. . One day I will show you the whole of the SS Ayrfield wreck.. But there could still be another angle or 2 I might show you first.. . Mavic 2 Pro. . ISO 100 | f/4 | 1/15 sec | Raw | Lightroom CC . . Copyright © Greg Barber. . 📍Prints via @riptideprints_ 🚩 25% off my collection this month”Greg25″🔻 📌 Link in my bio.. . https://riptideprints.com/collections/greg-barber . . #shipwreck #ssayrfield #djimavicpro2 #dji #drone #aerialphotography #djiglobal #seeaustralia #droneaddicts #dronesgallery #ilovesydney #yourshotphotographer #dronestagram #natgeo #twenty4sevendrones #fromwhereidrone #ig_color #droneofficial #nomadict #dronemultimedia #dronepilot #bee2b #droneheroes #dronepals #ozscapers #australianphotography_magazine #rust #rustlord#topdown

A post shared by ©️ Greg Barber . (@_g_b_photography) on Dec 22, 2018 at 11:10pm PST

Image: Instagram