HMAS

Bunbury

(II)

HMAS Bunbury (II) was the last of 14 Fremantle Class patrol boats (FCPB) constructed for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). For more than two decades the FCPBs contributed significantly to myriad border protection and maritime security operations, both in Australian waters and throughout the south-west Pacific. The vessels worked hand-in-hand with other Government agencies and each year they provided up to 1800 patrol days as part of the Coastwatch-managed national surveillance effort.

In addition, FCPBs were central to Australia's engagement with countries in the South West Pacific region and deployed throughout South East Asia and the Pacific in support of Australia's strategic interests. The FCPBs also supported Special Forces operations and provided a useful transport capability, particularly in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations.

Bunbury was equipped with high definition navigational radar, high and ultra-high frequency communications equipment, gyro compasses and an echo sounder. She was also fitted with a satellite navigation system that enabled the ship's position to be determined with great accuracy.

HMAS Bunbury was constructed at the North Queensland Engineers & Agents (NQEA) shipyard in Cairns, Queensland. She commissioned in the RAN under the command of Lieutenant Commander David Oliver, RAN, at 1500 on Saturday 15 December 1984 at the HMAS Cairns naval base.

Left: HMAS Bunbury prior to launching. Right: The commissioning crew of HMAS Bunbury (II), 15 December 1984.

1985

Shakedown and workup began in earnest at the beginning of 1985 following the Christmas/New Year leave period. With workup exercises completed at the end of the month, Bunbury departed Cairns on 29 January for her homeport at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, visiting Thursday Island, Darwin and Point Murat on the North West Cape en route. A scheduled visit to Port Hedland was cancelled due to cyclonic weather.

In early March Bunbury made her inaugural visit to her namesake city. She then undertook her first northern fisheries’ patrol from the Monte Bello Islands to Ashmore Reef, during which she apprehended her first foreign fishing vessel (FFV) long-liner. She then operated in the Darwin area conducting exercises in company with other FCPBs before undertaking a return patrol passage to Perth.

Following an Assisted Maintenance Period (AMP) and in company time spent with the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (RANR) Patrol Boat HMAS Adroit, Bunbury returned in late May to her namesake port for a short visit before proceeding north for another fisheries patrol conducting a number of inspections of Taiwanese fishing trawlers. The patrol was punctuated with a visit to Darwin where minor underwater hull maintenance was completed on the Darwin Naval Base (DNB) hardstand.

Following a period alongside at Stirling, Bunbury exercised the right to Freedom of Entry into the City of Bunbury for the first time on Saturday 20 July 1985. During her third northern fisheries patrol conducted in August, Bunbury visited Port Hedland and Christmas Island in company with her sister boat HMAS Geraldton. Both vessels proceeded to South East Asian waters. There Bunbury made diplomatic visits to Singapore, Sandakan in Malaysia and Ujang Pandang in Indonesia before resuming fishery patrols in Australian waters at the end of September. Bunbury again proceeded north in November for an overseas port visit to Bali via Carnarvon and Port Hedland, and visited Darwin and Broome on her way home.

1986

Bunbury commenced 1986 in company with Geraldton searching for a missing Japanese fisherman off the Perth hinterland. Regrettably no sign of the missing fisherman was found. On 10 January while departing Stirling for a Southern Ocean fisheries patrol, Bunbury touched bottom in the small boats’ compound due to one main engine failing to engage. This ‘engine hang in’ problem was common amongst FCPBs and would have a more severe consequence for Bunbury in later years. With no damage sustained, the patrol continued with the boat visiting Albany and then Bunbury for Australia Day.

She was slipped at Stirling at the beginning of February for minor work and returned to the water in the middle of the month but was briefly back on the slip at the beginning of March to replace defective shaft bearings. With the problem rectified Bunbury conducted patrols in the Southern Ocean and around the Cocos Islands. She then made a port visit to Cilacap in Indonesia at the end of the month before continuing patrol operations around Christmas Island. Bunbury again visited her namesake city for Anzac Day commemorations before resuming northern fisheries patrols that saw her operate as far north as Ashmore Reef, and visit Denham, Broome, Exmouth and Geraldton. Upon her return to Stirling the boat was once again slipped for routine maintenance.

School children enjoying a tour of Bunbury. The boat’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander D Oliver can be seen at far right, circa 1986.

Bunbury participated in Exercise DARK CYGNET in September before undertaking a northern fisheries patrol. A return to south-western waters saw her take part in Exercise HALLMARK 86-2, a Task Unit Exercise for the three Western Australia based patrol boats. Her final patrol of 1986 comprised a Southern Oceans fisheries patrol in November during which an anchor was lost in inclement weather in the Recherche Archipelago. The year came to a close following port visits to Esperance, Albany and Bunbury coinciding with the city’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

1987

Bunbury returned to sea in mid-January 1987 to undertake two weeks of exercises in company with other Western Australia based ships, spending Australia Day in her namesake port. After acting as a windward marker for the first of the America’s Cup yacht races, the patrol boat conducted a local fisheries patrol boarding a number of Japanese squid boats before resuming her point marker duties in the remaining series of yacht races.

In mid-February Bunbury was operating in northern waters undertaking further fisheries patrols during which time she visited Dampier en route to Darwin for a two-week FCPB Task Unit Exercise commencing at the end of the month. A return visit to Dampier and Geraldton was conducted en route back to Stirling before resuming northern fisheries patrols, which included an overseas logistic port visit to Padang in Indonesia. She then visited Bunbury to take part in Anzac Day commemorations and, following a maintenance period, returned to sea in mid-May resuming fisheries patrols. During the patrol she also supported Special Air Service (SAS) training and made another overseas port visit to Jakarta. She returned to Stirling via Port Hedland and Cossack, the latter in support of the town’s Fair and Regatta event.

Bunbury recommenced fisheries patrols at the end of July through August before escorting the visiting Vanuatu patrol boat, RVS Tukoro, to Darwin where Bunbury underwent further hull preservation work. She then participated in Exercise WESTERN APPROACHES off Broome with HMA Ships Derwent, Swan and Geraldton. Participation in Exercise HALLMARK 87-2 with HMA Ships Geraldton and Launceston followed in September before concluding the month conducting a check survey of the approaches to Esperance with a hydrographic team embarked.

Bunbury returned to northern waters in October to assist with maintenance work in the restricted area of the Monte Bello Islands calling at Dampier before proceeding to Darwin and conducting a fisheries patrol of the outer reefs. From Darwin, Bunbury began a clockwise circumnavigation of Australia calling at Gove, Thursday Island and Cairns. Whilst operating off Cairns she dispatched to assist in the search for a missing Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) FA-18 Hornet, later located by other RAAF aircraft. Resuming her passage she then called at Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide where she supported Heritage Week at the Port Adelaide Maritime Museum. By mid-December the FCPB was back at Stirling for Christmas having visited Albany en route.

HMAS Bunbury was one of 15 Fremantle Class Patrol Boats commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy. They were larger, more powerful and capable than the preceding Attack Class.

1988

The new year began with a Southern Ocean fisheries patrol and a brief port visit to Albany before entering a two month refit at the Jervoise Bay Ocean Shipyard, the first undertaken by a commercial contractor other than NQEA on an FCPB. She visited Bunbury twice in April, again taking part in Anzac Day commemoration, before proceeding north to Darwin, via Port Hedland, on a fisheries patrol and eventual work-up in the Northern Australia Exercise Areas (NAXA). En route the foreign fishing vessel (FFV) Madona Three was apprehended at Rowley Shoals for illegal fishing and taken in tow to Broome.

With her work-up completed, Bunbury returned to Stirling undertaking a routine fisheries patrol and calling at Broome. During that passage she was also subjected to the wrath and discomfort of an unpredicted resurgent Cyclone Herbie off Cape Cuvier. On completion of a maintenance period Bunbury took part in a Task Unit exercise commencing in Geraldton and culminating in Cockburn Sound in company with the three other Western Australian based patrol boats.

In July Bunbury deployed to South East Asia for two months in company with HMAS Geelong to participate in Exercise STARFISH in the Pulau Tioman exercise area and Exercise PENGUIN conducted in waters off Brunei. Port visits were then made to Singapore, Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, Muara in Brunei, and Bali.

Bunbury crash sailed from Stirling for northern Australian waters in September, interrupting a routine maintenance period, in response to increasing foreign fishing activity and to participate in an inter-Australian Government agency Operation VALVE resulting in numerous investigative boarding operations conducted over an extended period. During that time Bunbury apprehended the FFV Setia Jaya 3 for illegal Trochus fishing at Browse Island. Visits to Broome, Dampier and Port Hedland were made during the patrol providing some respite for the crew.

In October the patrol boat was the official ‘starter’ vessel for the Fremantle to Adelaide leg of the Bicentennial around Australia Yacht Race and the following month she visited Esperance in support of the Ashore and Afloat Day celebrations before proceeding northwards again on a fisheries patrol via the Monte Bello Islands. Sailing from Broome, Bunbury again took part in Departmental Operation VAULT before heading south via Port Hedland. A catastrophic engine failure whilst on patrol necessitated a return to Stirling where the base undertook its first FCPB main engine change-out in December.

1989

At the turn of the New Year Bunbury was still on the slip undergoing routine hull maintenance. With repairs completed in February she deployed on a two month deployment to North Eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). During that time the patrol boat visited Port Hedland twice, Darwin twice, Ambon and Jayapura in Indonesia as well as Wewak and Manus Island in PNG.

Further hull maintenance was carried out on the Stirling slip in late March and during early April. In May the annual Western Australian patrol boat Task Unit Exercise began in Bunbury, and later in the month the FCPB undertook a Southern Ocean and Australian Bight fisheries patrol across to Port Lincoln in South Australia, calling at Albany on the return voyage.

In June and early July Bunbury participated in Exercise HIGH SLOPES/OASIS providing support to 22 SAS Regiment from the United Kingdom and acting as consort during Geraldton’s work up which culminated in the waters adjacent Port Hedland. In August a six-week northern fisheries patrol was undertaken during which the FCPB spent considerable time within King Sound searching the various mangroves for illegal foreign trochus fishermen. A port visit to Wyndham was made in early September and after receiving orders to extend the patrol by another four weeks, further searches were made within the inner King Sound area punctuated with logistic visits to Broome.

Following a month-long leave and maintenance period, Bunbury was again operating in northern waters at the of October conducting fisheries patrols as far north as King Sound visiting Broome, Exmouth, Geraldton and Dampier. She also conducted Defence Science and Technology Organisation sonar trials during that patrol. At the end of November the FCPB provided support for HMAS Swan’s work up before returning to Stirling for rest and recreation during the Christmas and New Year period.

Members of Bunbury’s crew assembled on the forecastle to celebrates the boat’s fifth birthday, 15 December 1989.

1990

Following a brief shakedown in early January, Bunbury’s first fisheries patrol for 1990 took her east to Westernport, Victoria, with port visits being made to Adelaide, Melbourne and Port Lincoln en route. A shorter, second southern patrol was conducted in February calling at Albany before undertaking a routine maintenance period. After the mid-March Task Unit Exercise, during which the FCPB visited Busselton and Bunbury, Bunbury proceeded north on patrol during which she apprehended two illegal fishing boats and rendered assistance to an Indo-Chinese Origin Vessel (ICOV) with 118 irregular arrivals at Koolan Island, all of whom were escorted to Broome for further processing.

In April and May the vessel undertook an Intermediate Docking at Ocean Shipyards and after a short period of exercises was again briefly on the Stirling slip in early June to replace pitted propellers. Following a successful completion of work-up exercises, Bunbury commenced a two-month deployment to South East Asia to take part in Exercise STARFISH, via Broome, Bali and Singapore. Upon completion of the exercise the FCPB undertook a two-week maintenance period at the Singapore Sembawang Dockyard. She then made port visits to Phuket, and Cocos and Christmas Islands in company with HMAS Bendigo before commencing a northern fisheries patrol during which she was to apprehend the FFV Indomina 1016 for illegal longline fishing before escorting the Taiwanese vessel to Broome. On completion she returned to Stirling where she arrived at the end of August.

Another northern fisheries patrol was undertaken in September and October punctuated by port visits to Broome, Darwin, and Christmas and Cocos Islands. She was briefly slipped at Stirling for hull maintenance in early November before undertaking her final northern fisheries patrol of the year calling at Port Hedland, Broome, Exmouth and Geraldton. In December Bunbury was awarded the Kelly Shield for Minor War Vessel and Patrol Boat Proficiency concluding a high tempo and successful calendar year.

HMAS Bunbury at sea.

1991

In early January 1991 Bunbury began a seven-week deployment to the South West Pacific to escort the patrol boat FSS Micronesia, part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program, on her delivery voyage to the Micronesian capital, Pohnpei. During the voyage she made logistic visits to Darwin; Port Moresby, Madang and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea; and Yap and Chuuk in Micronesia. After celebrating Australia Day in Pohnpei she began the return voyage, via Guam, Iloilo in the Philippines, Bitung in Indonesia and Dampier. On 18 February having travelled 12,060nm, one of the longest deployments then undertaken by an FCPB, she arrived back at Fleet Base West.

Bunbury commenced her first northern fisheries patrol for the year in early April making port visits to Broome, Darwin, Dampier and Christmas and Cocos Islands. Following a maintenance period in June, Bunbury participated in Exercise CORAL CAPER off Exmouth with members of the SAS embarked in mid-July before another northern fisheries patrol visiting Port Hedland and Exmouth. She then acted as consort to HMAS Geraldton during her work-up in August, before conducting another short fisheries patrol and visiting Broome. A three-week AMP followed in September before conducting another northern fisheries patrol, visiting Dampier and Christmas Island en route to South East Asia in early October. There she made calls in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. She re-entered Australian waters on 1 November and immediately recommenced fishery patrol operations. Arriving back at Stirling on 15 November the crew welcomed a hard-earned leave and maintenance period before completing one final fisheries patrol in December before the Christmas/New Year period.

1992

In January 1992 Bunbury commenced a two-and-a-half month refit at Australian Shipbuilding Industries. She conducted post-refit sea trials in April and the ship’s company once again participated in Anzac Day commemorations in Bunbury. Work-up exercises and defect rectification followed in May and in the middle of the month she again visited her namesake city to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the launching of the Bathurst Class corvette HMAS Bunbury (I), on 16 May 1942. The event was all the more memorable through the attendance of 12 members of the vessel’s WWII ship’s company and the granting of Freedom of Entry to the City of Bunbury for Bunbury (II)’s crew.

By the end of May the FCPB was again in northern waters conducting surveillance operations in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf before proceeding to Darwin preparatory to deploying to South East Asia in June. She visited the Indonesian ports of Benoa, Belawan and Sabang in company with HMAS Cessnock, and participated in Exercise AUSINA 1/92. She immediately commenced a fisheries patrol upon her return to Australian waters on 1 July; however, an outbreak of gastroenteritis towards the end of the South East Asian deployment was to hinder patrol operations. The source of the outbreak was identified as a contamination in one of the ship’s water tanks necessitating a return to Stirling to rectify the defect and conduct other general maintenance.

Bunbury undertook another fisheries patrol in August calling in at Port Hedland, Broome and Koolan Island, during which the Taiwanese long liner Lian Yih Sheng Number 2 was apprehended at the extremity of the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ) off North West Cape. She then participated in Exercise VALIANT USHER in early October, however, inclement weather was to force her early withdrawal from the exercise.

The engine ‘hang in’ issue which Bunbury had experienced in 1986 re-emerged as she returned from VALIANT USHER to the Small Craft Pound at Stirling on 6 October. Bunbury’s port engine failed to disengage and she collided with the end of the East Wharf and the port quarter of the oil fuel lighter Wyulda, resulting in substantial damage to the ship’s bow and some damage to both Wyulda and the wharf. After numerous trials to determine the cause of the defect, the FCPB was docked in November at the International Shipyards for two weeks of repairs enabling her to conduct a Southern Ocean fisheries patrol in December calling in at Esperance.

1993

The first half of 1993 was occupied with fisheries patrols initially in southern waters as far east as Adelaide during which a Japanese long-liner was apprehended and escorted to Albany, and later, in May and June, in northern waters. Over the course of those patrols she made port visits to Bunbury, Albany, Esperance, Adelaide, Geraldton, Dampier, Darwin and Broome. In mid-July she proceeded to Dampier to assist the Pilbara Regiment with offshore training before shaping a course for Darwin to take part in exercises during August. She conducted northern and southern fisheries patrols from September through to November before returning to the Western Australia exercise area to support the training activities of a US Navy Seals unit and the SASR for the remainder of the year.

1994

The New Year saw Bunbury at Stirling, undertaking a leave and maintenance period that continued through to mid-February when she put to sea to begin a fisheries patrol and visit Albany. Inclement weather, however, forced an early end to the patrol and she returned to Stirling before the end of the month. She was then docked at Transfield Shipyards for routine maintenance in March before conducting work up exercises in April. Fishery patrols resumed in June with Bunbury proceeding as far north as Darwin. She was back in the northern capital in August to participate in Exercise AUSINA 01/94 but withdrew due to a catastrophic main engine failure. With a new engine installed she was able to participate in the Minor War Vessel Concentration Period later in the month. On completion of that activity Bunbury continued east on a fisheries patrol visiting Thursday Island and Cairns before returning to Darwin and thence Stirling with a brief replenishment stop at Dampier. In October a further fishery patrol was undertaken before visiting Geraldton and participating in Exercise SANDGROPER 94. She concluded the year with a final fishery patrol, including a visit to her namesake port, before the Christmas/ New Year period.

1995

Bunbury began 1995 conducting exercises in company with Geraldton before conducting fishery patrols during February and early March and visiting Port Hedland, Broome and Darwin. After completing a maintenance period, Bunbury was northbound again in April apprehending three Indonesian Type III fishing boats off Ashmore Reef and another three off Hibernia Reef. During the patrol she made operational visits to Darwin and Broome.

In late May Bunbury was docked at Stirling for routine hull maintenance before conducting exercises in June including assisting the newest Pacific Patrol Boat, RFNS Kikau, with shakedown and sea-check exercises. She then conducted a brief fishery patrol before rendezvousing with Kikau on 2 August to escort the vessel on her delivery voyage to Fiji. Ports visited over the course of the voyage included Darwin, Cairns, Suva, Pago Pago, Apia, Funafuti and Vila. Whilst in Suva Bunbury participated in events celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Fijian Navy. She resumed fishery patrols upon re-entering Australian waters in mid-august and continued westward across the countries northern reaches.

A member of Bunbury’s galley proudly accepts the 1995 Minor War Vessel Silver Platter for outstanding standards in food service, from Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould.

Returning to Stirling on 3 September having assisted HMAS Moresby with the hydrographic vessel’s workup exercises, she underwent a pre-refit condition assessment, and leave and maintenance period. She recommenced fisheries patrols in mid-October visiting Port Hedland, Broome and Darwin, where she participated in the Minor War Vessel Concentration Period. A visit to Thursday Island followed on completion of the exercises at the end of November before commencing passage back to Stirling. During the return voyage she provide assistance to Geraldton in the apprehension of eight illegal Type III fishing boats found in the vicinity of Ashmore Reef. Bunbury escorted four of them to Broome. She arrived back at Stirling on 8 December and spent the remainder of the year alongside undergoing maintenance.

1996

The New Year began with Bunbury undergoing a two-month refit at the beginning of 1996 during which the Auxiliary Propulsion Unit was removed as part of a class configuration change. Post refit trials commenced in April along with shakedown and work up exercises. The ship’s company were then honoured to march with HMAS Bunbury (I) World War II veteran, ex-Leading Seaman John Hopkins, in Bunbury on Anzac Day.

Work-ups were completed in May followed by a short fisheries patrol before once again assisting a new Pacific Patrol Boat, the Palauan PSS President HI Remeliik, with work-up exercises in June. The following month she undertook escort duties for the new patrol boat’s delivery voyage to her home port in Koror, Palau. The two patrol boats departed Stirling on 4 July making visits to Dampier and Darwin before arriving in Koror on the 22 May. Bunbury returned to Broome, via Kota Kinabalu, Singapore and Cilacap. On 19 August she resumed fishery patrols, apprehending the FFV Dwi Tunggal.

A routine maintenance period at Stirling was extended in September due to a number of engineering defects before the vessel resumed patrol operations on 8 October, visiting Broome, Darwin and Christmas Island; however, further engineering defects continued to plague the vessel during the period necessitating her being slipped at Darwin from 21 to 28 October to rectify a persistent steering gear problem. In spite of those problems Bunbury carried out a successful patrol, investigating a number suspect fishing vessels and apprehending the Taiwanese long liner Chien Chung 301 for illegal fishing in the vicinity of the Cocos Islands on the night of 7/8 November. The patrol boat returned to Stirling on 20 November and spent the remainder of the year in a leave and maintenance period.

1997

Bunbury conducted fleet exercises under the auspices of Operation EASTERN SAFARI at the end of January 1997 in company with HMA Ships Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin and Torrens before conducting a northern fisheries patrol in company with Geraldton visiting Christmas and Cocos Islands, and making a logistic visit to Cilicap.

On 1 April the FCPB proceeded north to Darwin to participate in the Minor War Vessel Concentration Period visiting Broome en route. Following some unscheduled engine maintenance in Darwin, Bunbury returned to Stirling, via Broome and Dampier, on 1 May but was back in the northern capital late in the month to participate in Operation PROWLER, a surveillance operation in the Australian Fishing Zone and Timor Gap, in conjunction with NORFORCE units in June. She arrived back in Stirling, via Broome and Geraldton, on 26 June.

Following a period of routine maintenance, Bunbury departed Stirling in July with Geraldton for South East Asian waters. The two patrol boats visited Dampier, Singapore and Kuching, Malaysia, before proceeding to Brunei to participate in Exercise PENGUIN in August. With the exercise successfully completed they went on to visit Davao in the Philippines, and Benoa in Bali. The two patrol boats departed Benoa on 23 August and conducted two days of passage exercises in company with HMA Ships Anzac, Torrens and HMAS Collins en route to Dampier. The four surface vessels, minus the submarine Collins, made a formation entry to Fleet Base West on 29 August.

Following a leave and maintenance period, Bunbury resumed fishery patrols in September visiting Broome and Darwin, and apprehending an FFV at Hibernia Reef. She again visited Bunbury in October and participated in Exercise DARK DUCK with Western Australia based members of the Army Reserve. Successful fisheries patrols were conducted in November and December with five Type II FFVs apprehended off Broome. Following a ‘reserve employers’ sea day’ on 19 December, Bunbury entered a routine leave and maintenance period.

1998

Bunbury returned to sea in early February 1998 acting as a consort during Geraldton’s work-up. She then proceeded north on patrol during which she apprehended an FFV and, on 21 February, intercepted a Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel near Cassini Island. Following a maintenance period she returned to northern waters in mid-April visiting Port Hedland, Broome and Darwin, before apprehending another FFV at Rowley Shoals.

Returning to Darwin following a fishery patrol on 30 April she then took part in a Minor War Vessel Concentration Period the following month. Her participation in the exercise was curtailed, however, due to ongoing engineering issues that required the boat to be slipped at Darwin. The opportunity was taken while she was on the slip to conduct a number of maintenance activities that were scheduled to be conducted later in the year. She then took passage to Stirling in early June to continue a scheduled maintenance period before returning to sea on 20 July to undertake shakedown and work-up exercises.

In early October Bunbury visited Christmas Island to support the 40th anniversary celebrations of the island becoming an Australian Territory, after which she made a diplomatic visit to Padang before returning to Stirling, via Christmas Island and Broome, on 23 October. Following a leave and maintenance period she resumed patrol operations on 21 November until 11 December after which she remained alongside for the rest of the year.

1999

During the Christmas period Bunbury’s port main engine was replaced and in the New Year acceptance trials were carried out until the end of January. After a period of in-company exercises with Geraldton, the two patrol boats departed Stirling on 22 February for South East Asian waters. On 5 March, however, with the two boats en route to Koror in Micronesia, they were forced to divert back to Darwin to address a defect in Geraldton’s port main engine. The two vessels returned to sea on 14 March and, after conducting manoeuvers with HMA Ships Dubbo and Gladstone, they resumed their programmed South East Asian deployment, minus the visit to Micronesia. They went on to visit Labuan, Kuching and Benoa, arriving back at Stirling, via Dampier, on 8 April.

The two patrol boats remained in company when they again departed Stirling on 23 April to participate in the Minor War Vessel Concentration Period the following month in Darwin. Bunbury then conducted a fishery patrol en route back to Stirling which saw her board and inspect a fleet of 17 Indonesian fishing vessels. She arrived back in Stirling on 28 May entering a leave and maintenance period.

Bunbury was back in northern waters, on patrol, from 2 July until 15 September; a period that saw a marked increase in foreign fishing vessel, suspected irregular entry vessel activity and numerous boarding operations and interceptions carried out. Force assignment to Operation WARDEN, Australia’s support for the International Force East Timor (INTERFET), was twice cancelled before the patrol boat was briefly assigned to the operation on 20/21 September. She resumed patrol operations upon being released from Operation WARDEN and these continued through to the end of the year.

2000

Bunbury was in her namesake city to launch ‘Bunbury 2000’, a year-long series of events celebrating the twenty-first anniversary of becoming a city. She resumed fishery patrols in the Southern Ocean in February visiting Esperance, Hobart, Adelaide and Albany, and at the end of March commenced a three-month refit at Stirling. She returned to sea at the end of July and successfully completed shakedown and work-up exercises in August before departing Stirling for South East Asian waters on 31 August.

Rendezvousing with Geraldton at Dampier, the two patrol boats then continued on to visit Singapore; Cebu in the Philippines where they participated in Exercise LUMBAS with elements of the Philippine Navy; and Palau. They arrived in Darwin on 2 October where they participated in the Minor War Vessel Concentration Period before recommencing patrol operations. Over a three hour period in the morning of 15 October, Bunbury apprehended three Type III FFVs illegally fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone before taking them in tow to Broome. She arrived back in Stirling on 20 October entering a leave and maintenance period.

On 14 November Bunbury was back at sea on patrol visiting Esperance, Geelong, Launceston, Adelaide and Albany. She arrived back in Stirling on 13 December and, after a families’ sea day on the 14th, commenced a leave maintenance period. The year concluded with Bunbury being awarded the Pakistan Shield for minor war vessel sporting achievements in 2000.

2001

Bunbury returned to sea on 20 February 2001 to conduct a northern fishery patrol, apprehending two Type III FFVs over the ensuing two months. She then returned to Stirling in early April for a scheduled maintenance period. She was scheduled to resume patrol operations in early June but the lack of a billeted Executive Officer resulted in a postponement of her return to sea until the end of the month. She eventually departed Stirling on 26 June for Darwin to participate in the Minor War Vessel Concentration Period in July followed by further fishery patrols.

Bunbury’s crew spent the majority of August and September alongside at Stirling and on 15 September, the ship’s company again exercised its right to the Freedom of Entry to the City of Bunbury. The patrol boat departed Stirling on 24 September for the last time as Bunbury’s home port to conduct border protection operations under the auspices of Operation RELEX. She arrived in her new home port of Darwin on 12 October. She once again conducted border protection operations under the auspices of Operation RELEX later in October and November before entering a leave and maintenance period for the remainder of the year.

Bunbury’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Michele Miller and the crew assembled onboard, shortly before the boat permanently relocated to Darwin, 20 September 2001.

2002

Bunbury was back at sea on 14 January 2002, proceeding eastwards to Cairns where she arrived four days later to begin work-up exercises. She returned to Darwin on 8 February and was soon back at sea conducting fishery patrol operations. After acting as a consort during HMAS Dubbo’s work-up in early March, Bunbury was slipped at Darwin on the 19th for an extended maintenance period.

She returned to sea on 8 May and, for the remainder of year, maintained the familiar pattern of fishery patrol operations, during which she intercepted, boarded and apprehended numerous foreign fishing vessels, and undertook regular maintenance in Darwin. After spending Christmas alongside in Darwin, Bunbury’s crew found themselves at sea on patrol over the New Year period.

2003

On patrol at the beginning of 2003, Bunbury returned to Darwin on 13 January for a leave and maintenance period. She was back at sea on 17 March to assist in HMAS Warrnambool’s operational readiness evaluation and resumed fishery patrol operations on the 19th. The inherent risks involved in boarding operations were highlighted in April when the master of an apprehended FFV threatened the boarding party with a machete. The confrontation was peaceably resolved and the remainder of the year was occupied conducting fishery and Operation RELEX II patrols in northern waters, punctuated by regular periods of leave and maintenance in Darwin.

2004

Bunbury participated in a minor war vessel concentration period at the end of January 2004 before conducting patrols in February under the auspices of Operations RELEX II and CRANBERRY. She acted as consort to HMAS Fremantle during her work-up in early March before entering a leave and maintenance period on the 8th. She returned to sea on 13 April and immediately departed Darwin for South Pacific waters in company with HMAS Warrnambool visiting Cairns en route. Over the ensuing six weeks the two patrol boats visited ports in Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Fiji and New Caledonia, conducting exercises with naval and law enforcement vessels from Western Samoa and Fiji. Bunbury returned to Darwin, via Cairns and Gove, on 29 May having apprehended an FFV found to be illegally fishing in Australian waters en route. She entered an extended maintenance period upon her return to Darwin.

The hard-working patrol boat commenced shakedown and work up exercises on 24 September and rejoined border protection operations under the auspices of Operation RELEX II on 23 October until 25 November investigating several FFVs and apprehending four. She entered a leave and maintenance period for the remainder of the year.

2005/06

After a week of work-up exercises, Bunbury resumed the familiar pattern of fishery patrol operations on 17 January 2005 again apprehending several FFVs fishing illegally in Australian waters. After a five week maintenance period, the patrol boat embarked an Australian Fisheries Officer, an Australian Customs Officer, an Australian Quarantine Inspection Service Officer and two intelligence officers on 9 April to participate in Operation CLEARWATER, an Australian Customs led operation intended to deter FFVs from fishing in Australian waters. She recommenced patrol operations under the auspices of Operations RELEX II and CRANBERRY on 27 April and apprehending a number of Type III FFVs for illegal fishing. She returned to Darwin on 25 May for a leave and maintenance period

Upon her return to sea in July, Bunbury undertook continuation training before resuming Operation CRANBERRY patrols. A routine program of patrol operations and maintenance followed until mid-November during which numerous FFVs were investigated and no less than 13 apprehended.

Bunbury departed Darwin on 18 November to visit Western Australian waters for the final time before decommissioning. She visited Broome before arriving at Stirling on 24 November. She went on to visit Albany and Bunbury where, on Sat 3 December, the ship’s company exercised its right to the Freedom of Entry to the city. She arrived back in Darwin, via Stirling and Broome, and having apprehended one last FFV for illegal fishing, on 11 December. She sailed again for a families’ day on the 14th arriving alongside for the final time later that afternoon. There she commenced preparations for decommissioning. Bunbury’s final calendar year in commission ended on a high note as she was awarded the Kelly Shield for second time.

HMAS Bunbury (II) and HMAS Wollongong (II) were decommissioned at HMAS Coonawarra on 11 February 2006. Left: A junior sailor stands on the forecastle by the Australian national flag on HMAS Bunbury. Right: The Australian White Ensign (AWE) being lowered for the last time on HMAS Bunbury.

HMAS Bunbury, along with her sister ship HMAS Wollongong, decommissioned on 11 February 2006 in Darwin after 21 years’ service. Present at the ceremony was Bunbury’s Commissioning Lady, Mrs Mary Ciccarelli.

Throughout her commission in the RAN HMAS Bunbury (II), and the many who served in her, made a significant contribution to Australian and regional maritime security fostering good will in the many ports they visited both in Australia and throughout the region. The crew’s relationship with the city of Bunbury in Western Australia saw the vessel visit its namesake port many times and that goodwill was repaid in kind through the granting of numerous Freedom of Entry marches.

Decommissioning crew of HMAS Bunbury (II).

Commanding Officers of HMAS Bunbury (II)