- Author
- A.N. Other and NHSA Webmaster
- Subjects
- History - general
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- HMAS Diamantina I
- Publication
- March 2011 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
The River class frigate HMAS Diamantina was one of eight of this large class of over 130 WW II convoy escorts to enter the RAN. She was built by Walkers of Maryborough and, following active service from 1945 to 1946, was placed into reserve. Recommissioned as an oceanographic research ship, she again saw naval service from 1959 to 1980.
After her second decommissioning she was preserved as a museum ship in the South Brisbane Dry Dock by the Queensland Maritime Museum.
The recent tragic Queensland floods caused the Brisbane River to rise and overflow into the dry dock and as a result Diamantina was once more afloat. Her fellow museum ship in the dry dock, the Lightship Carpentaria, was overturned by the deluge but Diamantina, showing her fighting spirit, fared much better and is now once more in service.
