HMAS Townsville (FCPB 205) facts for kids
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HMAS Townsville in 1990
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Australia |
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| Namesake | City of Townsville |
| Builder | NQEA, Cairns |
| Laid down | 5 March 1979 |
| Launched | 16 May 1981 |
| Commissioned | 18 July 1981 |
| Decommissioned | 11 May 2007 |
| Motto | "Bold and Ready" |
| Nickname(s) |
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| Honours and awards |
Three inherited battle honours |
| Fate | Museum ship at Maritime Museum of Townsville |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Fremantle-class patrol boat |
| Displacement | 220 tons |
| Length | 137.6 ft (41.9 m) |
| Beam | 25.25 ft (7.70 m) |
| Draught | 5.75 ft (1.75 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 MTU series 538 diesel engines, 3,200 shp (2,400 kW), 2 propellers |
| Speed | 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Range | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) |
| Complement | 22 |
| Armament |
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The HMAS Townsville (FCPB 205) was a special kind of ship called a patrol boat in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). It was named after the city of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. This ship was built to help protect Australia's waters. It was part of the Fremantle-class, a group of patrol boats designed for important jobs like stopping illegal fishing and guarding borders.
Contents
Building a Fast Patrol Boat
The HMAS Townsville was built by a company called NQEA in Cairns. The work on the ship started on March 5, 1979. It was officially launched into the water on May 16, 1981. This was a big event, with the wife of Queensland's Governor, James Ramsay, doing the honors.
What Made the Townsville Special?
The Townsville was a powerful ship for its size. It weighed about 220 tons, which is like 220 small cars! It was about 137 feet (42 meters) long. That's longer than three school buses lined up. The ship had two strong diesel engines. These engines gave it enough power to travel very fast, up to 30 knots. That's about 55 kilometers per hour! It could also travel a very long distance, up to 5,000 nautical miles, without needing to refuel.
The ship had a crew of 22 people. For protection, it carried a 40 mm Bofors gun. It also had two .50 calibre machine guns. At first, it even had an 81 mm mortar, but this was later removed. The HMAS Townsville was given a few nicknames, including "The Black Knight Mustang 205" and "Wily Coyote."
Adventures at Sea: The Ship's Missions
The HMAS Townsville had many important jobs. Like other Fremantle-class ships, its main tasks were to protect fisheries and patrol Australia's northern borders. This meant checking other ships, stopping illegal fishing, and helping with customs and law enforcement.
Chasing an Escaping Fishing Boat
One exciting mission happened on December 25, 1981. The Townsville was called to chase a Taiwanese fishing boat named Yuan Tsun. This boat had been caught fishing illegally. It tried to escape from Trinity Inlet during the Christmas holidays. The Townsville chased it, fired warning shots, and eventually made the captain surrender.
A Star on TV!
In 1982, the Townsville became a bit of a TV star! It was one of several Fremantle-class ships used for filming the second season of the ABC TV show Patrol Boat. The ship pretended to be the fictional HMAS Defiance for the cameras.
Helping in Fiji
In May 1987, the Townsville was sent to Fiji. This was part of an operation called Operation Morris Dance. It went to help after a coup d'état (a sudden takeover of the government). The ship provided support until the situation became stable.
Rescuing People at Sea
On June 1, 1990, the patrol boat intercepted a vessel carrying Cambodian refugees. The vessel started sinking during the inspection. The brave crew of the Townsville rescued 45 men, 17 women, and 17 children. They then took them safely to Darwin.
Clearing Bombs from the Reef
In January 1992, the Townsville was used as a base for a team of divers. These divers safely removed unexploded bombs found on Middleton Reef. This was an important job to keep the waters safe.
Studying Propellers
In July 1993, the Townsville helped with scientific experiments. Scientists used the ship to study how water flows around its propellers. They even put windows in the ship's hull to film these effects!
What Happened to the HMAS Townsville?
The HMAS Townsville served the Royal Australian Navy for many years. In 2007, it was decided that the ship would no longer be active. On April 23, the Australian Government announced a special gift. The Townsville was given to the Maritime Museum of Townsville. The idea was to preserve it as a museum ship.
The ship was officially taken out of service on May 11, 2007. This happened in a joint ceremony with another patrol boat, the HMAS Ipswich. These two ships were the last of their class still in active service.
A New Life as a Museum Ship
From 2007 to 2015, the Townsville was docked at a wharf in Ross Creek. There were some challenges in getting the ship ready for display. However, in 2015, the museum was taken over by Port of Townsville.
Between 2015 and 2016, the ship underwent a big repair job at a shipyard in Cairns. Its hull (the main body of the ship) was refurbished. After these repairs, the HMAS Townsville was re-docked as a floating vessel at the Townsville Marine Precinct. Today, it continues its journey as a museum ship, helping people learn about Australia's naval history.
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