By
Graham Davis
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A
member of the NSWCorps of Marines fires the first of three
welcoming shots as Parramatta enters the harbour.
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HMAS
Parramatta on the last leg of the journey to her new home.
She will commission into the RAN on Saturday October 4 at
the Oil Wharf at Garden Island.
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CO
Parramatta CMDR Mike Noonan is welcomed to Sydney by the
Mayor of Parramatta Cr Paul Garrard.
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On
standby, Kuttabul’s berthing party ready as Parramatta
comes alongside at Garden Island
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Nuship
Parramatta is set to join the Royal Australian Navy, entering
her homeport, Sydney, for the first time last week. Under the
command of CMDR Mike Noonan, number 154 cut a fine figure as she
passed between The Heads and swept towards Fleet Base East. She
is the fourth RAN warship to carry the Parramatta name.
As she passed the northern end of Garden Island members of the
NSW Corps of Marines fired three welcoming shots from their 1820
vintage cannon. Parramatta responded, dipping her White Ensign.
The marines had set up their weapon beside the bow of Parramatta
1, now a monument.
At Fleet Base Five, the Lord Mayor of the City of Parramatta,
Councillor Paul Garrard joined the Deputy Maritime Commander,
CDRE Nigel Perry and the commanding officer of HMAS Kuttabul,
CMDR Brian Eagles, to welcome the warship to her homeport.
A small group of spouses and family members was also present.
“Well done,” Councillor Garrard told CMDR Noonan as
the young officer left his ship.
Parramatta will officially become part of the RAN when she is
commissioned in a ceremony at the Oil Wharf at Garden Island on
Saturday, October 4.
Hundreds of people are expected to attend the ceremony.
So far HMA Ships Anzac, Arunta, Warramunga and Stuart have been
commissioned into the RAN while Te Mana and Te Kaha have been
commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Anzac, Arunta and Warramunga are homeported at Fleet Base West.
Stuart is homeported in Sydney.
Still to come to the RAN are ships 155 Ballarat, 156 Toowoomba
and ship 157 Perth.
In recent months Nuship Parramatta has been undergoing builder’s
sea trials off Melbourne. On her way up the NSW coast she conducted
firing trials as well as testing her seagoing capabilities.
During a dockside news conference CMDR Noonan likened the construction
and manning of a new warship to the building of a new city.
“The
present ship’s company will set the scene for the life of
the ship,” he said.
Parramatta’s
streets are named
Driving
warships runs in the Noonan family. CMDR Noonan’s wife Jan
is a LCDR in the RAN and was the commanding officer of HMAS Labuan
when the landing craft was deployed to East Timor. Soon after
husband Mike brought his ship into Sydney, he was off to Melbourne
where Jan was expecting their first child.
