Scuttling The ex-HMAS Tobruk

After 34 years of service, the ex-HMAS Tobruk was brought to Bundaberg to prepare for the scuttling to her final resting place in the Wide Bay waters between Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.

Ex-HMAS Tobruk was moored at the Port of Bundaberg for the scuttling process in which she was fully prepared, sunk and opened as a dive site for divers visiting the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

The process included:
* Removing all fuels, oils and greases.
* Identifying and removing all hazardous materials, including polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB's), asbestos, heavy metals, batteries, chemicals, plastics etc.
* Removing items that could break loose during the scuttling process or be a hazard to divers.
* Preparing a safe and interesting dive site to suit different levels of expertise, including cutting diver access holes, removing items that could be a safety hazard (including cabling, non-structural partitions, hatches/doors) and sealing some areas to prevent access for safety reasons.

Tobruk sails into Sydney Harbour last time news.navy.gov.au

Banner credit: the Commonwealth of Australia

Information sourced from: http://www.rdawidebayburnett.org.au