MSA Brolga (1102)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MSA Brolga in 2001
MSA Brolga in 2001
Career (Australia) RAN Ensign
Builder: Australian Shipbuilding Industries
Launched: 1975
Acquired: February 10, 1988
Decommissioned: 2003
Renamed: Lumen (1975-1988)
MSA Brolga (1988-2003)
Retriever 1 (2003-present)
Reclassified: Lighthouse tender (1975-1988)
Minesweeper(1988-2003)
Homeport: HMAS Waterhen (until sale)
Fate: Active, privately owned
General characteristics
Displacement: 268 tons full load
Length: 28.45 metres (93.2ft)
Beam: 8.1 metres (26.6ft)
Draught: 3.5 metres (11.5 ft)
Propulsion: 1 Mirrlees Blackstone diesel 540hp 1 shaft
Speed: 10 knots
Complement: 8
Sensors and
processing systems:		 I-band navigation radar

MSA (Minesweeper Auxiliary) Brolga (1102) is a minesweeper operated by the Royal Australian Navy between 1988 and 2003. She was constructed in Fremantle, Western Australia by Australian Shipbuilding Industries (now Tenix) in 1975, and first served as the lighthouse tender Lumen for the Australian Department of Transport. She was purchased by the RAN on February 10, 1988 and entered service as a Minesweeper Auxiliary (Small). Brolga was one of three Minesweeper Auxiliaries operating as part of the Craft of Opportunity (COOP) Program[1] under the command of the Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Group, along with MSA Bandicoot and MSA Walleroo. [2]

MSA Brolga saw operational service off Bougainville, supporting the Peace Monitoring Group during Operation Belisi. [3]

In 2003, Brolga was sold at auction, going for $255,000. She was returned to Fremantle, Western Australia, where statements given at the time of the auction indicated that she was to be used as a mothership for a fishing fleet, she was used for recreational purposes for 2 years, such as in a local protest for Port Coogee and then sold to a private customer she was later renamed "Retriever 1" [4] Instead converted to a diving and salvage platform, the renamed Retriever 1 was suspected to be linked to the disappearance of conman Peter Foster in January 2007. She was detained and searched multiple times by Vanuatuan police, and three of the ship's eight crew were arrested on immigration and firearms charges. [5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sharpe, Richard (ed), "Janes Fighting Ships 2000-2001", Janes Information Group, London, 2000. ISBN 0-7106-2018-7
  2. ^ LEUT Michael Marley, RANR. "HMAS Waterhen – we're about ships' influence" (PDF), Navy Reserve News, Office of Director General of Reserves – Navy, 2002-11-07, p. pg 4-5. Retrieved on 2007-01-15. 
  3. ^ POMW Andrew Hayward. "Every thing she did was magic", NAVY News, Defence Public Affairs and Corporate Communication, 2001-03-05. 
  4. ^ LCDR Mick Gallagher. "Brolga flys home to Freo", NAVY News, Defence Public Affairs and Corporate Communication, 2004-02-26. Retrieved on 2007-01-15. 
  5. ^ Kearney, Simon. "Three Australians held over missing conman", The Australian, News Corporation, 2007-01-13. Retrieved on 2007-01-15. 
 This article about a specific Australian naval ship or boat is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.