SMNMW Sam Tinker chats with some of the visiting children at HMAS WATERHEN. Picture: ABPH Helena Charter.

For most of the 35 children from outback NSW who visited HMAS WATERHEN the nearest they had come to water was the dam on the family property.

Likewise they had never been on a warship. The children from some of the most remote stations in NSW are students of Broken Hill's School of the Airways.

As such they do their lessons at home taking their teachers instructions by two-way radio.

Host for the three hour visit was co-ordinator PO Rob Rendal.

"There were 35 students aged from nine to 12 years," he said.

"Three adults accompanied them. The group had come down for a camp and their teacher, who is the sister of CMDR John Griffith a former CO of HMAS SHOALWATER, had sought permission for a visit to the base.

"First we took them out for a harbour cruise. Then it was a tour of HMAS RUSHCUTTER and HMAS HAWKESBURY.