HMAS Tarakan (II)

HMAS Tarakan commissioned at HMAS Moreton in Brisbane on 15 June 1973 under the command of a future Chief of Navy, Lieutenant Chris Ritchie RAN. 

After a period spent working up in Queensland waters, Tarakan settled into a routine of training, exercising, undergoing maintenance and support tasks in support of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) fleet and Australian Army, as well as providing training to RAN clearance divers, reservists, cadets and other trainees.

On 8 October it transported personnel and three land rovers from the Department of Primary Industries at Bulimba to Tangalooma Island, where they set up camp to study wildlife on the island. It retrieved the vehicles and personnel four days later.

Tarakan visited Sydney for the first time later that month, on 19 October, and was present for the opening of the Sydney Opera House and Open Day at Garden Island. On 26 October it sailed to Townsville to support a survey of the destructive Crown of Thorns starfish in the Great Barrier Reef, conducted by James Cook University. 

In May 1974 Tarakan went to Victoria to support adventure training for Army apprentices and conduct exercises with the Army Corps of Transport. 

The vessel made its first overseas trip in July and August 1974. It visited Jakarta, Singapore, Belawan and Tanjung Benoa. It arrived back in Darwin on 27 August.

In September Tarakan went to Papua New Guinea where it travelled up the Fly River to Kiunga, more than 400 miles upstream. It backloaded vehicles and equipment belonging to the Papua New Guinean Defence Force Engineer Company for transport to Port Moresby. 

On Christmas Day 1974, Tarakan’s ship’s company was recalled from leave to provide humanitarian relief to Darwin in the wake of Cyclone Tracy. The ship set course for Darwin on 27 December. It stopped briefly at Townsville along the way to embark bridging equipment bound for Darwin. Tarakan arrived in Darwin on 12 January 1975. 

In June 1975, Tarakan participated in Exercise BOUNTY RIDER. The vessel took part in more army exercises through the remainder of the decade including EMBARKEX in 1975, APPLE PIONEER in 1976 and MUDLARK in 1978. It also participated in the multinational, cross-service amphibious exercise KANGAROO II in October 1976.

Tarakan sailed for Indonesia in May 1977 with equipment embarked to participate in Operation CENDIRAWASIH, a series of mapping and charting operations conducted in West Papua. It arrived in Biak on 10 May and remained in Indonesian waters for almost the entire month, arriving back in Cairns on 31 May.

It conducted survey operations in the Port Clinton area during January 1978 and participated in Operation CAPRICORN AFFAIR at Townshend Island in March 1979 before commencing a refit in June. It returned to sea at the end of September and recommenced a program of training, exercises, maintenance and support tasks the following month.

In February 1980, Tarakan acted as the flagship for the annual Port Lincoln Regatta in South Australia. In May it assisted the Army exercise TERMITE MINOR TWO. In September and October it participated in Operation BEACHCOMBER, a series of cross-service surveying operations to gather information on the beaches and hinterland of Australia’s northern coast. It also participated in squadron exercises in December.

On 10 February 1981, Tarakan embarked two marine biologists from the Marine Research Laboratory, Melbourne, and six members of Clearance Diving Team One to conduct four days of beach surveys at Triangular Island to establish whether naval activity at the site had affected marine life. 

In May 1981 Tarakan visited Indonesia to participate in Operation PATTIMURA, the surveying and mapping of the Maluka Province by Australian Army surveyors. 

Tarakan participated in exercise KANGAROO in October 1981, and in September and October 1983. During exercise KANGAROO, Tarakan carried out fisheries patrols and surveillance in the Monte Bellos Islands area. 

In August 1982 Tarakan participated in exercises SPARTAN WARRIOR and MARLIN MOVE. On 29 September it joined other RAN and RNZN vessels for Exercise GRAND ROYALE, culminating with a fleet entry into Brisbane as part of the program for the 1982 Commonwealth Games. It later participated in exercises SAND CRAB in October and DYED GOAT in November before finishing the year with squadron exercises in December.

Tarakan was involved in exercises TERMITE SPRAY in 1983 and 1985, LIVELY LANCER in 1984 and 1985. 

On 6 September 1985 Tarakan was placed into Operational Reserve in Cairns. It had steamed some 182 531 nautical miles and conducted 525 beachings.

Tarakan recommissioned into RAN service on 2 July 1988 at Cairns, which was to serve as its new home port. Along with the familiar roles of army and fleet support, its new responsibilities included surveillance of islands off the Queensland coast and support for the newly established Cairns Port Division of the RANR.

The first few months of Tarakan’s second commission were spent undergoing trials and preparing the ship to return to sea. Workup exercises began in September. It then resumed a routine program of training, exercises, maintenance and support tasks in October. It participated in exercise SWIFT EAGLE later that month, exercise INITIAL LANDING in April 1989 and exercise KANGAROO in August 1989.

In September and October it renewed its participation in Operation BEACHCOMBER. BEACHCOMBER operations became a regular part of Tarakan’s program and it participated in them each year between 1990 and 1993.

Tarakan also supported trials for project NULKA, an Australian designed missile decoy system, on Herald Island, New Zealand, in November 1990.

In 1992 and 1993, Tarakan participated in Operation CLAMSAVER, which involved the transport of tens of thousands of endangered giant clams to the Great Barrier Reef in conjunction with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. 

In August 1992, while participating in Operation BEACHCOMBER, Tarakan was involved in two rescue missions. 

• On 9 August it searched for a 17-foot fibreglass boat which had capsized. The search was unsuccessful but the two crew members were later found near Dunk Island. One was deceased. 
• On 19 August it assisted the Naval Reserve Cadet training vessel, TV Tortoise, which had broken down between Darwin and Cairns. Tarakan towed Tortoise to Cairns.

On 14 November, Tarakan supported Operation SIERRA, the RAN’s drought relief operations in Papua New Guinea. Tarakan transported food, water and other essential supplies to the Papua Gulf, Milne Bay and surrounding islands. 

On 9 April 1998, Tarakan sailed for Bougainville Island for Operation BEL ISI II. For six weeks it provided logistical support to the Peace Monitoring Group and conducted patrols in the waters around Bougainville. It deployed to Bougainville six more times between July 1998 and October 1999.

On 29 October 1999, Tarakan sailed for Dili, East Timor for Operation WARDEN-STABILISE. As well as providing a logistics over the shore capability, it provided accommodation for multinational INTERFET forces ashore. It deployed to East Timor again from January to February, and March to May 2000 for Operation TANAGER. The ship was presented with a Meritorious Unit Citation in January 2001 for its operations in East Timor. 

In August 2000, Tarakan began preparations for a Life of Type Extension which officially commenced on 6 September 2000. The extensive work package kept the ship alongside at the Tropical Reef Shipyard in Cairns until 9 March 2001. 

It participated in Exercise TANDEM THRUST in May 2001 before returning to Bougainville for Operation BEL ISI II in June. It made four more trips to Bougainville over the following two years.

On 30 August 2001 Tarakan sailed to the Solomon Islands for Operation ANODE, the RAN’s contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands (RAMSI). As well as providing logistic support to RAMSI forces ashore, Tarakan supported the construction of roads and buildings on the Weathercoast in the south of Guadalcanal Island. 

Tarakan returned to the Solomon Islands in 2003 and 2004. During the last deployment, the ship’s Executive Officer, Warrant Officer Ian Chill, suffered serious spinal injuries when he fell into a crevasse. He was evacuated by helicopter in difficult conditions firstly to Honiara and then back to Australia. Ten members of Tarakan’s crew were recommended for commendations for their roles in WO Chill’s evacuation. Since his accident, Ian Chill has worked to raise awareness for the issues people with disabilities face in the Cairns community.

Tarakan participated in the landing craft heavy (LCH) concentration period in Cairns and Townsville in February 2004 and was presented with the Proficiency Shield in recognition of displaying the highest level of overall proficiency in 2003. It was again awarded the shield in 2004, 2007 and 2008. 

Tarakan participated in Exercise SEA LION in March 2004 and in May provided support for the Army Aboriginal Civil Aid Program in Far North Queensland. It made a final trip to Honiara in August to backload cargo for return to Australia before participating in squadron exercises and Exercises SEA LION and SWIFT EAGLE later in the year.

In June 2006 Tarakan deployed to Timor Leste in support of Operation ASTUTE.

It once again took part in Exercise SEA LION in March 2007 and conducted Operation RESOLUTE patrols in October and November, which included an operation to recover 10 tonnes of abandoned fishing net found in the vicinity of Maningrida, Northern Territory, which posed a danger to marine life. 

A new bow door and fittings was installed early in 2008 before supporting 51 Far North Queensland Regiment Operation RESOLUTE patrols in June and August. 

Tarakan participated in the Minor War Vessel Concentration Period in June before providing support for the Army Aboriginal Civil Aid Program in July, transporting three loads of construction equipment from Darwin to Kalumburu, Western Australia. It participated in Exercises SEA LION and LONG GUNS in October, and squadron exercises and Exercise SEA LION in February and March 2009.

In July and August 2010 Tarakan participated in PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2010, an annual US-led humanitarian assistance mission providing medical, dental, veterinary, engineering and other community services to communities across Southeast Asia. Tarakan provided logistical over the shore support in Indonesia and Timor Leste, and acted as a forward operating platform for medical and dental personnel from Australia, the USA, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Portugal, South Korea and Indonesia.

Tarakan participated in Exercise PARADISE off Cairns in November and was placed on standby to provide humanitarian assistance to the Queensland flood crisis in January 2011 but was stood down before the end of the month. 

After Cyclone Yasi, Tarakan participated in Operation YASI ASSIST. Tarakan supported the worst cyclone affected areas south of Cairns. As well as providing a sea-lift capability, Tarakan’s personnel volunteered to form working parties to assist with the clean-up of debris ashore.

On 3 June 2012, Tarakan assisted in Operation CATHEDRAL, the Australian Defence Force’s support to the Papua New Guinea elections. In November 2012 it participated in Exercises PARADISE and TRITON THUNDER.