56 | TRADEABOAT.COM.AUCLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT The ex-HMAS
Adelaide being sunk near
Terrigal, NSW; The bow of
Hobart showing almost two
decades of marine growth;
Ex-HMAS Swan brimming
with life“Pack them with
explosives and do
what no enemy
or force of nature
could – send them
to the ocean floor.”
S
hipwrecks have long been subjects of
fascination, not just as habitats for marine
life, but as locations for exciting and tragic
history and also as repositories of underwater
cultural heritage and archaeological “treasure”.
Most wrecks occur as a result of natural forces or
armed conflict, others from mishap, mismanagement
or negligence.
But, in recent times, there's been an increasing
trend to deliberately scuttle retired ships, especially
naval warships, to create artificial reefs that attract
both marine life and recreational scuba divers.
Since 1997, the Australian Government has
provided seven decommissioned RAN vessels forthis
purpose – ex-HMAS Swan, Perth, Hobart, Brisbane,
Canberra, Adelaide and Tobruk – which have been
sunk in the coastal waters of five states.
These vessels, some of them sister ships, enjoyed
long and illustrious careers over a period collectively
spanning 50 years between 1965 and 2015, with
battle honours that include Vietnam, South East
Asia, Persian Gulf, Somalia, East Timor and the
Middle East.