The Wreck at Homebush Bay
The SS Ayrfield is one of several old shipwrecks around Homebush Bay in Sydney's west.
As an avid wreck diver and underwater photographer I have always enjoyed the challenge of trying to get images of shipwrecks. Challenging it is, as trying to get even a small wreck in an image is complex when you need to shoot through what is often gloomy water.
To have the opportunity to capture images of a wreck in its final resting place, while shooting from shore is wonderful, and you can really take your time to make a variety of images.
Built over 100 years ago, the SS Ayrfield was one of the '60 milers' – the name given to the numerous colliers that worked between Sydney Harbour and the coalfields of the Illawarra and Hunter regions.
In 1972, the Ayrfield was sent to a ship breaking yard at Homebush, and is one of four wrecks that remain in place.
Homebush Bay was once a hub of Sydney's heavy industry, and became a dumping ground for a lot of industrial waste, including the old ship hulls.
Having been cleaned up, Homebush Bay became the home of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and is now a residential, sporting and entertainment and business district.
The old wrecks remain in place, and are popular sites for photography, particularly with the setting sun.