FROM WRECKS TO REEFS

Shipwrecks 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 for this 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