LS Ben Bradshaw and Natalia Seymovskaya. Picture: ABPH Damian Pawlenko.

Leading Seaman Ben Bradshaw of HMAS BRISBANE proposed to his girlfriend Natalia Seymovskaya with great style and surprise.

Just before his ship reached the crowded Fleet Base East wharf upon completion of a three month good will visit to our northern neighbours, Ben draped a bedsheet sign down the side of the 4,720 tonne guided missile destroyer.

It read ,"Natalia. I love you. Will you marry me? Ben."

Ben completed the banner with two hearts.

In his pocket was a red box containing an engagement ring he had bought in Hong Kong.

Down on the wharf Natalia, 27, waited.

"It was a surprise. I love him very much," she declared as the veteran warship came to a halt and she received a big grin and a wave from Ben, standing above his sign.

Ben was amongst the first of the ship's company of 310 to come ashore.

With hugs and kisses he declared his love for Natalia then asked if he could slide the engagement ring on her finger.

It was a "yes."

Asked why he proposed this way , the 29-year-old from Bondi Beach said, "It was something crazy. Different."

After collecting his gear from the ship Ben and Natalia headed off.

…there was more, however.

Ben had hired Terry Quayle to bring his white luxury limousine to the wharf to take them home.

Seeing his son Jack for the first time is LS Chris Milat . Jack was born five weeks earlier while PO Larke was away on BRISBANE. With them is wife and baby's mother, also a member of the RAN, AB Belinda Webb. Picture: ABPH Damian Pawlenko.

Arrival of BRISBANE was a great time for family re-unions with 200 relatives friends entertained by the RAN Band before the warship, under the command of CAPT Cam Darby, came alongside.

Joining the families was the Deputy Maritime Commander, CDRE Brian Robertson.

For LS Chris Milat of Botany it was a special homecoming.

He was able to hold for the first time his son Jack, aged just five weeks.

His mother is AB Belinda Webb.

"I'm here Daddy." Mrs Kate Larke and son Ben, give husband and father PO Jon Larke a welcome home hug.

There was no way PO Jon Larke could not find his son Ben, 12 months and wife Kate in the crowd.

Down from Newcastle, Kate had pinned a sign, "Here I am Daddy" and a helium filled balloon to the tot's pram.

The day after the DDG arrived the fleet replenishment ship HMAS SUCCESS returned to Sydney.

Again there was a good crowd on the wharf to meet her 205 officers and sailors.

BRISBANE, SUCCESS and the FFGs DARWIN and CANBERRA had gone north on good will visits to ports in the north-western Pacific rim.

BRISBANE and SUCCESS met up with the other pair in Hong Kong before going to mainland China and South Korea.

DARWIN and CANBERRA went home to their homeports of FBW.