The Floating Forest: Ship From 1911, That Even Served In WWII, Was Overtaken By Nature

Homebush Bay in Sydney, Australia is home to the remnants of a ship-breaking yard that operated during the mid 20th-century. Large watercraft that outlived their usefulness were towed to Homebush Bay and dismantled to salvage any components that could be reused or sold for scrap.

Homebush Bay is located on the south bank of the Parramatta River, in Sydney, Australia. The Bay and its surrounding became a huge industrial area in the 20th century, which resulted in massive land reclamation. As the industrial activities had scaled down, the Bay became a dumping ground for waste, broken-up ships, and toxic industrial waste. During the industrial golden age of Homebush Bay, Union Carbide manufactured chemicals there, including Agent Orange, which became well known during the Vietnam war. Not surprisingly, the Bay became heavily contaminated with dioxin and other chemicals during those times. So much so, that at the time, a fishing ban had to be introduced in most of Sydney Harbor. The SS Ayrfield is one of many shipwrecks that can still be seen at the bay. Image credit: Marc Dalmulder