| Career (Australia) | |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | City of Wollongong, New South Wales |
| Builder: | North Queensland Engineers & Agents, Cairns |
| Launched: | 17 October 1981 |
| Commissioned: | 28 November 1981 |
| Decommissioned: | 11 February 2006 |
| Homeport: | HMAS Coonawarra |
| Motto: | "Heed the Call" |
| Honours and awards: |
Six inherited battle honours |
| Fate: | Decommissioned, awaiting disposal |
| Badge: | |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Fremantle class patrol boat |
| Displacement: | 220 tons |
| Length: | 137.6 ft (41.9 m) |
| Beam: | 25.25 ft (7.70 m) |
| Draught: | 5.75 ft (1.75 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 MTU series 538 diesel engines, 3,200 shp (2,400 kW), 2 propellers |
| Speed: | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Range: | 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) |
| Complement: | 22 |
| Armament: | One general purpose 40/60 mm Bofors gun Two 12.7 mm machine guns One 81 mm mortar (removed later) |
HMAS Wollongong (FCPB 206), named for the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, was one of fifteen Fremantle class patrol boats to operate with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).[1] Wollongong is the only RAN vessel to have appeared in two television series, portraying a fictional Fremantle class patrol boat in both.
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Starting in the late 1960s, planning began for a new class of patrol boat to replace the Attack class, with designs calling for improved seakeeping capability, and updated weapons and equipment.[2] The Fremantles had a full load displacement of 220 tonnes (220 long tons; 240 short tons), were 137.6 feet (41.9 m) long overall, had a beam of 24.25 feet (7.39 m), and a maximum draught of 5.75 feet (1.75 m).[3] Main propulsion machinery consisted of two MTU series 538 diesel engines, which supplied 3,200 shaft horsepower (2,400 kW) to the two propeller shafts.[3] Exhaust was not expelled through a funnel, like most ships, but through vents below the waterline.[4] The patrol boat could reach a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph), and had a maximum range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).[3] The ship's company consisted of 22 personnel.[3] Each patrol boat was armed with a single 40 mm Bofors gun as main armament, supplemented by two .50 cal Browning machineguns and an 81-mm mortar,[3] although the mortar was removed from all ships sometime after 1988. The main weapon was originally to be two 30-mm guns on a twin-mount, but the reconditioned Bofors were selected to keep costs down; provision was made to install an updated weapon later in the class' service life, but this did not eventuate.[4][5]
Wollongong was laid down by North Queensland Engineers and Agents.[1] She was launched on 17 October 1981, and commissioned into the RAN on 28 November 1981.[1]
On 31 May 1985, Wollongong grounded on rocks at Gabo Island, causing extensive damage to the vessel.[4] She was repaired by the builder, and returned to service in late 1986.[4]
In 1983, Wollongong was one of five ships used to portray HMAS Defiance in the second season of Patrol Boat.[6]
Wollongong was decommissioned on 11 February 2006.[1]
After being decommissioned from service, Wollongong one of two patrol boats used to portray HMAS Hammersley for the first season of the Australian television drama series Sea Patrol.[7] Wollongong, docked at HMAS Waterhen was used for scenes aboard and around the docked ship.[7] This footage was conflated with scenes shot aboard the operational HMAS Ipswich to create the fictional patrol boat.[7]
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