Community
4 May, 2024
Ship’s last port of call
NAVY hydrographical survey ship HMAS Melville has sailed into port for the last time with dozens of families gathered at Trinity Wharf to welcome the crew as the vessel is decommissioned after 24 years of service.
Excitement was palpable in the air on Wednesday, as partners, friends and their young children waved and cheered at the crew of the HMAS Melville where parents, siblings, and friends have been posted on for the last few months.
Jessica Littlewood, a sailor herself and mum of two, was with her two children – nine-month-old Ruby and two-year-old Jack – to welcome her partner Darren who has been posted on HMAS Melville for the last four months.
“My husband has been in the Royal Australian Navy for six years and served for the New Zealand Navy before,” she said.
“It’s really exciting to see them arrive from their last trip on the Melville. I’ve served on HMAS Melville myself and it’s a great ship to serve on. I’m a hydrographer and it’s a survey boat so we’ve done a lot of trips looking at the sea floor.
“Jack can’t wait to see his Daddy and Ruby wasn’t crawling when he left and now, that he’s back, she is, so we’re very excited to see him.”
HMAS Melville will officially decommission in July and has made Cairns its last stop after sailing a staggering 575,808 nautical miles (1,066,396km) in her 24 years of service, across the continent from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via the Timor Sea, the Arafura Sea, and finally through the Coral Sea.
Beck Goodall, from Redlynch and her two pups Enzo and Jobe – dressed to the nines in their best seamen attire – welcomed partner Justin, a sailor in the navy for 25 years.
“I work in the mines, and he’s been deployed for months, so we don’t see each other often, so it was really excited to see him come back and knowing I’ll have him with me until October when he deploys again,” she said.
“Enzo and Jobe are so excited that Daddy’s home. It’s so important to have events like these to highlight the hard work of our sailors, all the navy families were fantastic, and the kids loved these two (dogs).”
