Juxtaposition

Homebush Bay, Rhodes and Newington are fast becoming affluent residential suburbs. They are adjacent to the wonderful Olympic Park and offer a lifestyle that has great appeal; good accommodation, wonderful recreation areas and close proximity to the Olympic Stadium and other sporting venues offering easy access to sporting events. Even cricket has been attempted at the main stadium, now bearing the name of a bank!
Much of the land on which these facilities have been built has been reclaimed from Homebush Bay and the wetlands that surrounded it. Originally dominated by industry, especially at Rhodes, then developed as a dumping ground for almost anything, much of the land was badly contaminated with heavy metals and poisonous compounds. In spite of the remediation programs, there are still many problems concerned with cleaning up the area. Much has been done, much will continue to be done in the future, but the prospects for a pristine environment in the foreseeable future are still bleak.


The above photo is part of the wreck of the SS Ayrfield (originally launched as SS Corrimal). It was a steel-hulled, single screw, steam collier of 1140 tonnes and 79.1m in length. It was built in the UK in 1911 and registered at Sydney in 1912. It was purchased by the Commonwealth Government and used to transport supplies to American troops stationed in the Pacific region during WWII.
In 1950, it was sold to Bitumen and Oil Refineries Australia Pty Ltd and in 1951 sold to the Miller Steamship Company Ltd and renamed Ayrfield. Under the Miller flag, it operated as a collier between Newcastle and Miller’s terminal in Blackwattle Bay.