The departure of the Fremantle-class patrol boat HMAS Bunbury from HMAS Stirling on September 24 ended an era in Western Australia.

Sailing from the small ship's compound at 1000, Bunbury was the last RAN patrol boat to be home ported in the West.

Bunbury follows her sister-ship Geraldton which departed five weeks earlier for their new home port, the Darwin patrol boat base. This of course will see a major reduction in steaming time for them to reach their patrol areas.

Commissioned in Cairns on December 15, 1984, the 245 tonne Bunbury had been homeported at HMAS Stirling since her arrival in the West on February 20, 1985.

In the intervening 16 years, Bunbury has steamed more than 500,000 nautical miles, a feat achieved in July, and completed around 100 patrols.

HMAS Bunbury was awarded the Freedom of Entry of the City of Bunbury in 1985 and was awarded the prestigious Kelly Shield in 1990.

Commanding Officer LCDR Michele Miller said "It is a sad day for the crew of HMAS Bunbury as we depart, leaving the West after more than 16 years. We are proud to be able to continue the proud tradition in Darwin."

The first postwar patrol vessel in Western Australia was the 1943 World War Two vintage Seaward Defence Boat 1325, which arrived from HMAS Melville in Darwin in September 1956.

Armed with a 40mm Bofors gun, the much-loved SDB.1325 was used for some years in a training role with the Fremantle Port Division of the RANR.

It was in 1969 when the first postwar RAN patrol boat HMAS Acute, was homeported in Western Australia. The Attack-class Acute was based at HMAS Leeuwin in the Swan River for RANR training.

Manned by a RANR crew supplemented by five PNF sailors, HMAS Acute burst into the headlines in May, 1973 when commanded by LCDR (later CAPT) Pat Rodriguez, RANR she apprehended two Taiwanese fishing vessels in a declared zone off the Monte Bellos Islands.

Armed boarding parties were placed aboard the vessels and they were escorted to Exmouth.

Continuing in this role until being brought forward into PNF service on November 27, 1978, Acute operating from of HMAS Stirling until 1992 prior to its transfer to Indonesia.

Other Attack-class patrol boats which were based at HMAS Stirling were HMA Ships Barricade (1981-82), Assail (1983-85) and Adroit (1983-92) which served on Naval Reserve training and maritime surveillance duties.

HMA Ships Bunbury and Geraldton, popular with the public and the media alike, seemingly inherited the hearts and gutsy spirit of their predecessors, World War Two corvettes, and have been excellent ambassadors for the Navy in Western Australia.

Their old berths might now be empty, but they have left many memories and a proud chapter in Western Australia's naval history.

By Vic Jeffery