Destroyer revamped

SCRAPE DOWN: Decommissioned warship Vampire (DD-11) enters the Captain Cook dry dock for a refit before returning to her home at Darling Harbour. Photo: Michael Brooke

Volume 49, No. 21, November 16, 2006

By Michael Brooke

The decommissioned warship Vampire (DD-11) recently entered the Captain Cook dry-dock at Fleet Base East, triggering a rumour she would undergo a major refit and rejoin the fleet.

Inquires by Navy News confirmed the Daring Class destroyer had indeed entered dry dock for her most significant refit since 1990, which seemed to confirm the talk that Vampire was poised to put to sea again.

But Vampire’s refit was merely part of her routine scrape down and brush up which is conducted every seven-years.

The complete makeover allows Vampire to retain her pride of place as the biggest exhibit at the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour.

Vampire is scheduled to be towed back to her berth at the ANMM on November 28.

Vampire, the last of the Australian Daring Class destroyers, paid off on August 13, 1986 after a 27-year career during which she steamed 808,026 nautical miles.

On decommissioning Vampire was gifted to the ANMM where she continues to be a popular tourist attraction for overseas visitors and former members of her ship’s company.

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