What do you do with the remains of an old naval warship? You give it — and hundreds of marine creatures — a second life, of course!
Launched in 1966, the HMAS Brisbane (D 41) was decommissioned in 2001, after a life full of missions that spanned everything from its deployments to the Vietnam War, to disaster relief operations.
Having considered donating it to a museum, the ship was eventually marked for scuttling as a dive wreck off the coast of Queensland, creating an artificial reef. Sinking a boat on purpose may sound bizarre, but artificial reefs attract and sustain a wide diversity of marine life by providing protection from predators, shelter from ocean currents, breeding opportunities and a supply of rich food sources, and no less than eight artificial reefs have been created in in Moreton Bay Marine Park!
Of course, due to the huge environmental impact of these structures, their creation involves extensive research and planning, taking into account such factors as historic use of the site, proximity to natural reefs, depth and, possibly most importantly, reef materials.
This last one can influence the species that are attracted to the reef, its safety and structural integrity, and its environmental impact. It’s crucial to think about the local conditions — like the wind and tides — as well as the life expectancy of the material, its stability, and whatever deployment constraints might come into play.
Once this was all decided, the HMAS Brisbane was sunk approximately 5.2 km off the coast of the Sunshine Coast on July 31, 2005 in 27 metres of water. In order to do so, the ship was filled with 200 to 250 tonnes of concrete, and 38 small charges were detonated to breach the hull, making it sink in just 2 minutes and 10 seconds.
Now, the wreck is an ideal place to see a variety of turtles and rays, octopi, and even leopard sharks! You can easily spot all kinds of fish, including yellowtail kingfish, red emperor, snapper, lion fish, angler fish, and more, and get lost in the colourful hues of the soft and hard corals that have made the ship their home.
Despite having suffered some changes due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred back in 2025, diving exernally on the wreck is still allowed for open water certified divers and above so, if you’re looking for your next adventure, it might be waiting below!
