HMAS Coogee facts for kids

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|} HMAS Coogee was a passenger ferry that had an interesting life. She was built in 1887. For a short time, she worked for the Royal Australian Navy. This was during the end of World War I. She helped as an armed patrol boat and a minesweeper. In 1928, the ship was sunk on purpose. This is called scuttling.

Contents

• Building a Ship
• Life as a Ferry
• Helping in Wartime
• The End of Her Journey

Building a Ship

The ship was first named Lancashire Witch. She was built by a company called J.L. Thompson and Sons. This happened in Sunderland, England. Her launch date was March 23, 1887. She was finished and ready to go by May 9, 1887. Her powerful engines were made by John Dickinson and Son. These were special "triple-expansion steam engines."

Life as a Ferry

The New Isle of Man Steam Navigation Company first ordered the ship. They wanted her to be a ferry. She would carry people between Liverpool and the Isle of Man. But in 1888, another company bought her. This company was called Huddart Parker. They changed her name to Coogee. She was then registered in Melbourne, Australia.

Helping in Wartime

On May 20, 1918, the Royal Australian Navy needed Coogee. They took her over to help in the war. She became a minesweeper. This meant she helped clear dangerous underwater mines. She also worked as an armed patrol vessel. Her job was to patrol the Bass Strait. This is a busy waterway in Australia. In 1919, the Navy gave her back to her owners. A few years later, in 1921, she was used again. The Postmaster-General's Department hired her. She helped to fix an important underwater cable in the Bass Strait.

The End of Her Journey

In 1927, Huddart Parker sold Coogee. She was sold to be taken apart for scrap metal. Her engines were removed from the ship. In 1928, her empty body was sunk on purpose. This happened outside Port Phillip Bay. The exact spot is at 38°18′12″S 144°35′0″E / 38.30333°S 144.58333°E / -38.30333; 144.58333. Today, the sunken ship is a popular place for divers to explore.