“The 1,140-ton metal ‘Beast’ was built in 1917, and after 60 years of faithful service, Ayrfield was sent to Homebush Bay to ‘rest’…
Homebush Bay in Sydney is one of Australia’s unusual attractions, bearing witness to the stormy times of World War II, which many have heard about, but few have seen firsthand.
The unusual ship graveyard of sunken warships is dominated by the wreck of the steamship Ayrfield, which was used to supply American troops in the Pacific – and later as a coal transport ship from Newcastle to Sydney.”
“The 1,140-ton metal ‘Beast’ was built in the United Kingdom in 1917, reports Telegrafi.
After 60 years of faithful service, Ayrfield was sent to Homebush Bay, where rust grows within it, but also the greenery of mangroves, creating a surreal scene, like a kind of floating forest.
On the walk from Wentworth Point to Sydney Olympic Park, you can also see four other wrecks slowly decaying – HMAS Karangi, Heroic, Mortlake Bank, and one unnamed.
Once an industrial peripheral hub, Homebush Bay has undergone a transformation from an abandoned and polluted part of the city to a revitalized residential and commercial neighborhood.
The wrecks still serve as a reminder of the bay’s past life as a thriving trade port, now slowly decaying in the unforgiving waters.”