HMAS Bungaree

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HMAS Bungaree was an Australian auxiliary minelayer of World War II. The civilian merchant freighter Bungaree was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy in October 1940 and was commissioned into the RAN on 6 June 1941 after being converted into a minelayer. Following her conversion HMAS Bungaree had a capacity of 420 naval mines and was originally armed with two four inch guns for self protection.

HMAS Bungaree laid her first minefield off Port Moresby in August 1941 and, as Australia's only minelayer, laid over 10,000 mines in defensive minefields in Australian and New Zealand waters during World War II.[1]. Bungaree was present in Sydney Harbour during the Japanese midget submarine attack on 31 May 1942. As the Allies moved onto the offensive the need for defensive minefields lessoned and Bungaree served as a survey ship from January 1944 and a store ship from August 1944. HMAS Bungaree was decommissioned on 7 August 1946 and was returned to her owners on 5 November 1947.[2]