Lovers of the antique and the abandoned, and children of the wild – in the West of Sydney , at a ‘ship cemetery’ is a floating forest. Thriving on a 110-years old abandoned ship, this mangrove forest manifests the power of nature rarely witnessed in a lifetime.
SS Ayrfield, the abandoned ship
Home of the Floating Foreet, the SS Ayrfield, or the Corrimal used to carry coal before it was used in WWII. This 1,I00-tonne ship, built in the UK was then used for assistance in the second World War for Australia.
The ship was then retired to the ship graveyard(also called the shipwreck yard) in Homebush Bay. It would have been dismantled for steel and metal, but was left halfway when operations in this place ceased. What resulted was an eerie, abandoned ship left half standing.
The floating mangrove forest
So many ships were abandoned at Homebush Bay that another piece of metal and memory should not have made a difference. Except it did. Abandoned in the 1970s and rediscovered three decades later, the lush growth of a mangrove forest defying all odds and tearing open from a steel hull has left everyone questioning the threatening power of nature. The SS Ayrfield has been made famous by local photographers and social media admirers for the strange, god-like victory of nature over man.
How to reach the floating forest
Undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in Sydney, the SS Ayrfield should make it to your travel list.
This sight is not too far away from the Central Business District of Sydney, so reaching it should not be troublesome at all. There are train and bus routes from the Central Station for the Olympic Park Archery Centre in Homebush Bay. Once you get there, use Google Maps on your smartphone and you should be able to find the wreck easily.
Other floating forests around the world
Although the SS Ayrfield is one of its kind, other floating forests around the world are riveting in their own way. Island of the Dead Dolls in Mexico is one such example. This spooky site has a rich history and is a floating island covered in lush greenery.
The dangerous and wild floating forests of the Amazon should also pique our interest for not only their divine beauty but also their enchanting experiences.
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