BRIDGE OVER BALLARAT
Newest Anzac frigate commissions in spectacular style

Ballarat makes her way under the Henry Bolte Bridge at low tide at 1.15am on June 24, in preparation for her commissioning in Victoria Harbour, Docklands precinct on June 26.

XO LCDR Stephen Dryden reports the state of the parade to CO CMDR David Hunter.

HMAS Ballarat sails proudly past the Melbourne city skyline. All photos by SGT Dave Grant and CPL N Harris.

The Band, the ship’s company and the dramatic lighting against Ballarat creates a spectacular scene on a chilly winter Melbourne evening.

HMAS Ballarat with tug in tow, makes her maiden voyage out of Victoria Harbour with a ‘tight fit’ under the Henry Bolte Bridge. (Telstra Dome can be seen in the background.)

The Guard Presents Arms with the Guard Commander LEUT Paul Delaney standing proudly out front.

The Band and ship’s company stand proudly at the Melbourne Docklands prior to the dusk commissioning ceremony.

By Hugh McKenzie, Master of Ceremonies

Bridge over Ballarat
(MPEG video 15.95 MB)

No two commissionings are the same... there are always variations, sometimes because of the people involved, sometimes because of the place of commissioning, and HMAS Ballarat’s proved the rule.

Ballarat’s commissioning took place at dusk in Melbourne’s docklands featuring band members, pyrotechnics and special lighting.

There was additional ceremonial with the involvement of two former crew members of Ballarat I, CMDR Donald Dykes, once her CO, and Robert Herd who served aboard as an AB, now an eminent naval architect and father of commissioning lady Dr Susanna Herd.

Donald and Robert assisted the flag party with hoisting the ANF and AWE at the commissioning proper, Donald summing up his feelings in his address: “I have paced the decks of over a thousand ships during my lifetime and take great pride and pleasure in adding the new Ballarat to my list.”

Robert handed over the baton in verse: “May the wind be fair and the seas be smooth for thee. But if by chance the wind and seas be not so, trust to your stout heart and gallant crew, for they will always do their best for thee as mine has always done for me.”

It was Ballarat I, standing by at immense risk that rescued a young injured pilot, John Gorton, from his torpedoed ship and kept him safe to later become Prime Minister of Australia.

The first major task new CO CMDR David Hunter faced was getting his ship under the Bolte Bridge.

Opinions on the clearance vary but it sufficed that the ship, with a collective intake of breath aboard and ashore, passed into history at 1am on June 24.

Ballarat is the first RAN ship of her size to commission in the docklands, that in itself an achievement for the CO and VicUrban, the prime developer of the area.

HMAS Ballarat is so closely allied with the city and region of her name she is considered to be a floating suburb (non rate paying of course), according to CMDR Hunter.

The city’s Sovereign Hill Redcoats performed at the commissioning. Now LEUT Paul Delaney, the Guard Commander, is grinning, actually smiling broadly ... he’s been the ship’s point of contact for the whole show and it’ll all be over in a minute. It’s all a bit hazy afterwards ... “I’d like to offer a toast to the ship.”

The Mayor of the City of Ballarat said “Ballarat is proud to present a small piece of the original Eureka flag.

“We’d like you to have an original Ballarat crest,” Robert Herd said. Smiles, handshakes, more smiles, loud bangs from the Redcoats, more during the Beat to Quarters and Ceremonial Sunset, this time from the pyrotechnician.

And then - quiet - it’s done. Welcome, HMAS Ballarat your officers and ship’s company, to the Fleet.

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Ballarat home at FBE

By Ross Gillett

It was a beautiful day as the RAN’s latest Anzac class frigate HMAS Ballarat (CMDR David Hunter) sailed through Sydney Heads for the first arrival in her new home port at Fleet Base East.

Ballarat berthed alongside FB5 on July 3.

There she would meet her family members, media and representing MCAUST, the Commander Surface Combatant Group, CDRE Simon Hart.

For the frigate, her career as a fleet unit began early the following Monday when the Sunrise morning show from Channel 7 broadcast their weather live from the ship.

Highlights included the visit to the galley where ABCK Daniel Geldard, ABSK Glen Poustie and LSCK Guy Clohesy served up breakfast before the show moved into the frigate’s gym with ABET Daniel Hooper.

Finally the weather man, Grant Denyer, ‘took the plunge’ when POBSN Ken Lawton assisted him with a jump over the side to demonstrate the role of the Swimmer of the Watch.

CMDR Hunter said, “Our time in Williamstown was extremely rewarding, but it’s good to be finally home in Sydney and at FBE.”

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