The Wreck at Homebush Bay
Photography Podcasts
I love podcasts[1], which are a great way of getting quick info on a huge variety of topics whilst on the go – driving, commuting, running, walking, etc. I am really enjoying some great photo podcasts at the moment, and would suggest the following five to anyone interested in photography.
- This Week in Photography by Frederick van Johnson
- The Digital Story with Derrick Story
- Your Itinerary – a travel and photography podcast from the TWIP stable, and hosted by Micro Four Thirds photographer Rob Knight
- Photofocus – podcast founded by Scott Bourne and hosted by Richard Harrington.
- The Photowalk Guys – an Australian podcasted hosted by Ben Frewtrell and Rob Potter
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.
View this image on 500px, Ello or Flickr
- I have hosted a podcast on karate, scuba diving and personal productivity in the past. My podcasting is on hiatus at the moment. ↩