The Castle class trawler BROLGA, was requisitioned by the RAN as an auxiliary minesweeper. BROLGA, and her sister ships GUNUNDAAL and KORAAGA, operated along the NSW/Victorian coast searching for mines laid by the German raider WOLF. The vessels were manned by members of the RAN Brigade, and by early January 1918 they had swept a total of 13 mines. KORAAGA was returned to her owners in February 1918, but her sister ships were retained until 1919.
The Australian Government passed Act No. 1284, changing place names of foreign origin to patriotic names. Two NSW towns, Germantown and Krichauff, were given the names of Holbrook and Beatty, famed RN officers.