On December
14th 1997, the HMAS SWAN ended her 26 years with the Australian
Royal Navy. Her final resting place now lies in a bed of sand,
in 30 metres of water, off the South West Coast of Western Australia
in Geographe Bay, creating an artificial reef for corals and
marine life.
The SWAN has now
become a popular dive site; being the first ship in the Southern
Hemisphere to be sunk as a dive wreck. Measuring 112m in length,
21m in height and 13m in width, she is truly a spectacular site.
Situated 1.3 nautical miles off Point Piquet, Meelup, at a latitude
of 115.06'2" East and a longitude of 33.33'2" South.
 
The State Government,
due to the Geographe Bay Artificial Reef Society, has established
an exclusion zone of 500m around the ship which prohibits any
fishing or hunting of any kind. There is also restricted access
of recreational vessels, 6 at one time (one boat per mooring)
and no anchoring allowed to protect damage to the reef and divers.
Mooring passes available for sale at Dive shops and Tourist Bureau.
Their is an abundance
of sea life taking advantage of the SWAN as their new home. Batfish
swim around the Crow's nest, large schools of Bullseyes inhabit
many rooms, with King George Whiting and Brim swimming around
the hull. The inquisitive Samson Fish give divers an added bonus
when looking around the wreck, along with Dhufish, Shaw's Cowfish,
Blue Devil, Sweep, Talma; the list goes on. Not only is there
fish, plant life is starting to grow on and around the wreck
with several Flowering Soft corals, Seagrass, Hydroids and Coral
Formations. There is more and more growth every year.
The growth is being
monitored by Marine Biologists and their reports of the many
different fish species. |
Swan Video - By
David Hayward
