Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

HMAS Gladstone is finally coming home, following its recent decommissioning in Cairns. The Fremantle class patrol boat has been retired after 23 years in service and will spend its future years as the key display in the Gladstone Maritime Museum. I know the vessel will be sadly missed by the ship’s company, who have sailed in her for 620,000 nautical miles in national and international waters, but they can be assured she will have a worthy retirement.

Although HMAS Gladstone was based in Cairns for the entirety of its working life, some very strong arguments were put forward when lobbying to have the ship retired to its namesake city, not least of which was Gladstone’s frequent role in naval exercises staged at Shoalwater Bay and its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef. It is also Queensland’s busiest commercial port.

Acquiring the vessel was the culmination of years of work by the Gladstone community, particularly the Gladstone Maritime Museum president Ced Janson, former president Stephen Mills and committee member Noel Bowley. They worked closely with me and the Mayor of Gladstone, Councillor Peter Corones, to secure the vessel, and we thank the Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, for his generosity because this donation will be seminal to the people of Gladstone and district.

The local community has really pulled together on this project, with the Gladstone Engineering Alliance offering its services to permanently place the vessel on a support structure at the old slipway site on Flinders Parade on land which was donated by the Central Queensland Port Authority.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

The local community has really pulled together on this project, with the Gladstone Engineering Alliance offering its services to permanently place the vessel on a support structure at the old slipway on Flinders Parade. This is on land which has been donated by the Central Queensland Ports Authority. It will be handed over to the city tomorrow night at a function which, I as the local member, will be attending. The vessel has already arrived in Gladstone. It should take about six months to get shipshape—pardon the pun—and it should then be ready for public access. Now she will play an important role as a living museum, pulling together naval history, maritime heritage and destination tourism. Let me say to all those concerned: well done, Gladstone!

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