As the sun sets in Cairns tomorrow, the end of an era will be marked as the Royal Australian Navy bids adieu to an iconic piece of our shared history, HMAS Shepparton II.
This sentinel of the seas, named after Shepparton, will be decommissioned after 33 years of service.
Former Shepparton mayoress Felicity Gaylard will witness the ship’s final rites more than three decades after she ceremoniously launched it on its maiden voyage by smashing a champagne bottle against its steel hull.
“HMAS Shepparton II will always hold a position of great importance and interest to me,” Mrs Gaylard said during the ship’s launch ceremony in Adelaide in 1990.
These words resonate strongly today, as she prepares to attend the decommissioning ceremony in Cairns.
Reminiscing about the ship’s launch, Mrs Gaylard remembered a day filled with anticipation and excitement.
She said the event was well attended, including by her late husband, former Shepparton mayor Jeremy Gaylard.
“It was an amazing day. Quite an honour,” Mrs Gaylard said.
“When it was launched, it was just amazing.”
From its inception, the 36.6m, 325-tonne catamaran was designed for hydrographic survey operations in northern Australia’s often challenging shallow waters.
As it steps out of service, it also passes the title of ‘First Lady of the Fleet’ to its successor, an honour reserved for the longest-serving commissioned ship in the fleet.
Although inevitable, the ship’s decommissioning has evoked emotions among those who witnessed its birth and followed its journey.
“When it was commissioned, there was great excitement,” former Shepparton town manager (chief executive) Ivan Gilbert said.
“I think it’s a sad day.
“Will there be another ship named after Shepparton?
“Will it be placed in a dry dock? If so, anything on board that signifies the relationship between the Navy and Shepparton should be returned to our city.”
During its sea tenure, HMAS Shepparton II made significant contributions to naval missions, including Operation Tangar in 2000.
Its crew navigated challenging waters from Australia to Papua New Guinea and even lent a helping hand during the 2010-11 Queensland floods.
However, this is not the first time the name HMAS Shepparton has graced our waters.
Before the current HMAS Shepparton II, another distinguished vessel bore the same name.
The original HMAS Shepparton was one of 60 Australian minesweepers, commonly known as corvettes, built during World War II as part of the Commonwealth Government’s wartime shipbuilding program.
On February 1, 1943, it was commissioned in Melbourne and eventually set sail for New Guinea at the end of April that same year, where it assumed the role of a survey ship.
However, 15 years on, on February 20, 1958, the ship was sold for scrap.
So, as we bid farewell to the HMAS Shepparton II, we salute the steadfast commitment of those who served on the ship.
We also echo Mrs Gaylard’s words from all those years ago: “May God bless her and all who sail in her.”
Today, her blessing takes on a new meaning, a final prayer for a ship that honoured our city with its service to the country.