HMAS Diamantina

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Diamantina.

Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy have been named HMAS Diamantina for the Diamantina River in Queensland.

[edit] The First Diamantina

HMAS Diamantina K-377.

The first HMAS Diamantina [1] (K-377/F-377/A-266/GOR-266) was a River class frigate laid down by Walkers Limited at Maryborough in Queensland on 12 April 1943, launched on 6 April 1944 by Mrs. W. J. F. Riordan, wife of the then Chairman of Committees in the House of Representatives and later Minister for the Navy and commissioned at Hervey Bay in Queensland on 27 April 1945 under the command of Commander G. M. Rose. Diamantina paid off to reserve on 9 August 1946 but recommissioned as an oceanographic survey ship on 22 June 1959. The deepest point in the Indian Ocean at the Diamantina Deep was named after the ship conducted a bathymetric survey of the Western Australian coast in 1961. HMAS Diamantina paid off on 29 February 1980, the last of the wartime frigates still in service with the Royal Australian Navy. She was handed over to the Queensland Maritime Museum Association to be permanently berthed as an exhibit in the old graving dock at Brisbane.

In March 2006, the Diamantina was towed out into the Brisbane River to allow repairs to the dock, which had been flooded since the seals failed in 1998. As of July 2006, she has been returned to the dry dock adjacent to the Queensland Maritime Museum, which is now drained of water.

Almost all compartments inside the ship are open to the public including the engine rooms. The tour is self guided, and available to anyone who visits the Museum.

[edit] The Second Diamantina

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled Diamantina MHC86. (Discuss)

HMAS Diamantina MHC86.

The second HMAS Diamantina [2] is a Huon class minehunter laid down by Australian Defence Industries at Newcastle, New South Wales on 4 August 1998, launched on 18 November 2000 by Mrs. Maureen Bryden, daughter of the late Commander G. M. Rose and commissioned in February 2001.