Site Selection

ARTIFICIAL REEF
The HMAS Adelaide II was decommissioned in Perth January 2008 and has been relocated to Sydney to enable the Department of Defence to begin the decommissioning process. It is expected the ship will be handed to the NSW Government in June 2008.

Following handover, it is estimated there is approximately 12 months available to complete the preparation of the vessel for sinking including all the necessary environmental and other related studies and regulatory processes.

The identification of a suitable sea-bed location for the vessel will involve consideration of a range of factors including issues of biodiversity, geological, habitual and other factors such as current and wave refraction impact on the coast. The project will also require significant communication with a broad range of stakeholders including the diving industry.

In February 2008, consultations were initiated with recreational diving groups and diving industry peak bodies. Further consultations with commercial dive operators, local businesses, tourism and the wider community are planned.

Terrigal is located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, approximately 1 hour's drive from the Sydney CBD. Studies have recently been completed to select a suitable site to scuttle the ship off Terrigal Between Terrigal Headland and Avoca Beach. The final resting place for HMAS Adelaide II must have:
 - A bare sandy bottom without extreme conditions (eg, no strong rips or currents)
 - the ability to attract marine life to colonise the artificial reef
 - a depth of sand of at least two to five meters
 - no navigational safety hazards
 - minimal impact on commercial fisheries
 - be close to on-shore infrastructure for dive operators.

Milestones

Where is HMAS Adelaide II Right Now?

HMAS Adelaide II was decommissioned at Garden Island in Western Australia 19 January 2008. This marked the end of her 27 years of service for what was the Royal Australian Navy’s oldest frigate. She is now being de-militarised at Garden Island, Sydney.
Link to Friends of the Adelaide

The Commonwealth Department of Defence invited the NSW Government to inspect the HMAS Adelaide on Monday 3 March 2008. This was the first opportunity for the Central Coast project team and other officials to physically examine the Adelaide . The visit assisted in gaining a better understanding of works to be done in preparing her for sinking

What needs to be done?

HMAS Adelaide Reserve and long term wreck management
The HMAS Adelaide II Reserve was gazetted on 20 June 2008 and forms part of the existing Gosford Regional Crown Reserve.

The Reserve includes Crown Land below the high water mark to the three nautical mile limit of state waters in an area between Terrigal and Avoca off the Central Coast.

Once the ship is sunk, the boundaries of the reserve will be refined and will have an approximate 250-500 meter radius around the wreck itself.

A Plan of Management will now be prepared for HMAS Adelaide II outlining the goals for use of the Crown reserve and provide a framework for future use, development and management of the area. The Plan will also provide the framework within which dive activities will be managed and regulated as well as maintenance of the wreck.

Environmental Assessment
Environmental assessment will be undertaken in accordance with Part 5 of the Envionmental Planning & Protection Act 1979. A review of environmental factors will consider a variety of short and long term issues associated with the sinking of the ship. The environmental assessment will be comprehensive and will look at potential impacts as well as measures that can be taken to aid colonisation and ensure the artificial reef is a success. Issues to be considered include:
 - The physical characteristics of the seabed
 - Coastal and oceanographic processes
 - Flora and fauna impacts
 - Navigational safety
 - Water and air quality issues
 - Noise and vibration impacts
 - Visual and aesthetic impacts
 - Socio-economic impacts, including recreational and commercial fishing, surfing, boating etc.
 - Areas of cultural or historical importance
 - Benefits to the Central Coast regional economy from increased tourisim and,
 - Operational feasibility and diver safety and amenity

Completion of the environmental studies and scuttling of HMAS Adelaide II will also require approval from the Commonwealth Government under the Environmental Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 with long term management an integral part of this application.

Ship Preparation and Scuttling
Preparation and scuttling of ship including the stripping and cleaning as well as the design and preparation of the ship as a dive site needs to be undertaken.

In April 2008 Lands called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from potential tenderers to prepare and scuttle HMAS Adelaide II as an artificial reef and dive site off Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast. The work will broadly involve:
- Towing the ship to a dockyard to be prepared
- Cleaning and removal of any hazardous materials
- Design and modify the ship to produce a safe dive site, including cutting diver access holes into the sides of the hull, in the floors and ceiling to allow extra vertical   access between decks and to allow light penetration and sealing off areas where diver access will not be permitted for safety reasons.
- Making the ship safe as a dive site by removing machinery, cabling and any other items that could create any sort of diver hazard or entanglement,
- Remove items of historic or memento value for retention.

The ship will be prepared to the stringent environmental standards required by the Environmental Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981.

Countdown to approximate sinking date
Official date notification to be advised.