I’ve been kayaking all around Snug while staying in a caravan and cabin park on the foreshore during a short break from house-sitting. The waterways around Snug range in use from relatively wild areas, through agricultural, aquacultural, residential and commercial areas, to industrial areas; so there is a wide range of things to see when out on the water.
Just north of Snug, near Margate, at a marina development, I came across a small and old ex-naval ship tied up at a jetty. At about fifty metres long, while this is a small ship, it is easily the biggest vessel around here, and it was quite a surprise to find it.
As I got closer I realised that, what I had at first thought was netting draped over the ship, was, in fact, planking, and that this was a wooden ex-naval ship. I guessed that it may be a mine sweeper with a timber hull or cladding to protect it from magnetically activated mines.
As I got closer I also realised that it was in very poor condition, with peeling paint, cupping boards, and rusting fixings.
The wood is in particularly poor condition along the waterline:
Unfortunately, this large wooden boat needs someone to spend a couple of million dollars on it before it sinks at the jetty and then costs someone a couple of million dollars to remove it!
Identifying the ship
I was curious enough about this ship to try to find out more about it; but web-searching didn’t give me anything conclusive; although, in retrospect, I came very close.
Then I had a bright idea – we are doing a house sit in Canberra in June, and the owner is an ex-naval officer. We have already been to Canberra, in part to meet the owners in advance, as we do whenever we can to smooth the house-sitting process out as much as possible, so I knew him well enough to ask for help identifying the ship. He took on the challenge, and, after some web research that was more accurately directed than mine, he found that, remarkably, this was a ship that he had served on as the Mine Hunting Control Officer in the early 1970s!
So: I was able to find out that this was the HMAS Curlew, and it was indeed a mine sweeper (mine hunter, actually). It was built in 1953, and ended its naval career in 1990. Since then, it has been a dive boat, an illegal casino and brothel, and a movie prop in a couple of movies, including Paradise Road – and you can see it here in this movie trailer!
Who knows what may lie ahead for the HMAS Curlew – unfortunately, it’s probably not going to be good.
Would you like to add something, or ask a question? Add a comment below (you can leave the 'Website' field blank):
Chris (The Journey and the Destination) (Sunday, 16 August 2020 02:05)
Hi Tim,
I believe the Curlew is still in much the same place that It was when I saw it in 2017. You can see it on Google Maps, here: www.google.com.au/maps/@-43.0493954,147.2687772,108m/data=!3m1!1e3
This is a recent news item in a UK paper about it: www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/nostalgia/1251994/heroic-angus-ship-now-a-rusting-hulk-is-holding-up-20m-australian-marina-development/
It has a Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/groups/66805250279/ that may interest you.
Tim walsh (Saturday, 15 August 2020 13:06)
Hi. My dad served on this ship in Vietnam. Would be great to show him where it is today. Any info would be great.
Cheers Tim 0422196093
David (Sunday, 18 August 2019 03:46)
Iam a ex sailor who served on the curlew iin 1983to 85 i served and spent two 2years servi g on her ihave some photos of the ship and her crew. The archives also have the ships stiff shit book log.i would like to share those memories with you
Chris (The Journey and the Destination) (Sunday, 22 July 2018 03:22)
Here's the latest news on HMAS Curlew:
www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-22/ex-hmas-curlew-set-for-new-life-as-backpacker-hostel/10021306
It's off to Brisbane to become floating backpacker's accommodation.
I'm guessing it's going there under its own power as the new owner is reported as spending $100,000 preparing it for the journey.
Chris (The Journey and the Destination) (Monday, 14 May 2018 05:53)
Thanks for your comment, Aaron. It's great to see so many people with connections to this ship finding this post.
If I hear anything more about what is happening to HMAS Curlew I'll add it here.
Aaron (Monday, 14 May 2018 05:45)
Was Navigating Officer of her (pennant number 1121) 1983-85 and have very fond memories - Snipe (1102) and Ibis (1183) decommissioned around 1983-84 and 3 other sister ships, Teal, Hawk and Gull decommissioned several years earlier. After decommissioning most, if not all, of these robust little vessels (500 tons of fighting wooden fury!) were re-purposed in some ways similar to Curlew and I can recall seeing a couple of others in Sydney, Far North Queensland and even in Greece. I am surprised to still see her afloat in 2018 as the effort and cost to maintain them would be considerable. I get to Hobart regularly on business travel and would appreciate an opportunity to have a look on board if possible.
Chris (The Journey and the Destination) (Friday, 27 April 2018 13:00)
That's great news, Kris! do you have any more details? Do you know where the work will be done?
Kris M (Friday, 27 April 2018 04:50)
Just a quick update. The vessel was sold and settled on 24 April for preservation. A lot more life in the old girl yet..good news all round.
Chris (The Journey and the Destination) (Wednesday, 11 April 2018 11:23)
Thanks for your reminiscences, Craig and Rod! This blog post about the HMAS Curlew certainly caught the attention of its past crew!
Some months before this Kayak paddle I went to the Sunday music session at Frank's Cider Bar in nearby Franklin. During the musician's break I got talking to one of them; he told me he was part-owner of an ex-RAN vessel that, in retrospect, based on the history that he gave me, may well have been HMAS Curlew. Everything ties together!
Craig (AKA Dougy ) Walters (Wednesday, 11 April 2018 11:05)
Hi
brought back some fond memories , had 3 stints on Curlew from the early 80's , was Able seaman , than as a Leading Seaman and last stint as Petty Officer
some of the CO's i remember were Vic Rashley , Russ Baker, to name a few ,
Was a good ole girl and still keep in touch with some fellow crew members today.
Hope some one buys her and treats her well
rod young (Thursday, 15 March 2018 09:55)
Hi, Good to see the photos of HMAS CURLEW, I remember her as HMS montrose, sea going tender for Tay Division RNR in the late 50's my father was Commander Engineer and I have fond memories of sailing on her, it is a pitty thatshe has been allowed to fall into such disrepair
Chris (The Journey and the Destination) (Sunday, 11 June 2017 09:21)
Thanks for the additional information, Brian. You may well know my RAN contact, although he started in the navy in the '70s. Unfortunately, I can't put his name here in public comments for you to check.
Brian Simpson (Sunday, 11 June 2017 08:58)
Hi there
As a member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, in 1962 I went to the UK and crewed one of six minesweepers that the RAN had purchased from the RN and we sailed those ships from Portsmouth to Sydney. My ship was HMAS Teal - still afloat in Cyprus - and the others were Hawk, Snipe, Ibis, Gull and - Curlew! Curlew and Teal are the only two of the six still afloat, and Teal has been much modified.
Regards,
BrianS