5 May 2025
For more than 20,700 nautical miles, one of the largest ships ever constructed for the Royal Australian Navy has been under the command of Captain Brendan O’Hara.
Captain O’Hara spent his adult life serving Australia – the last two years spent commanding HMAS Canberra, with previous commands in HMA Ships Yarra and Sirius.
Ship’s company, families and international exchange sailors gathered onboard HMAS Canberra to farewell Captain O’Hara and welcome the new Commanding Officer, Captain David McPherson.
Captain O’Hara reflected on his command working for ‘King and country’, thanking the crew and reflecting on their major achievements.
“I have some mixed emotions leaving the ship, however, I know she is in very capable hands,” Captain O’Hara said.
“I enjoyed working with such a dynamic and complex team aboard Canberra; the crew brought new challenges and rewards each day.”
Key events that occurred under Captain O’Hara’s command were the successful rescue of a yachtsman off the coast of Eden; the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023 deployment; supporting the USS Canberra commissioning in 2023; and conducting a freedom of entry into the city of Canberra in 2024, marking the ship’s 10th year of service in the Navy.
Incoming Commanding Officer Captain David McPherson, supported by his wife, Karen, and their three children took the podium to address his new crew.
“It is an honour to serve Canberra’s ship’s company as her next Commanding Officer and I thank Captain O’Hara for his strong leadership and stewardship,” Captain McPherson said.
“He has been an exceptional leader and has set us on a great course, of which I hope to honour during the next two years.”
The final part of the ceremony involved the handing over of the ‘weight’, a nautical telescope, to represent the ‘weight of command’ and enable the new captain to see ‘friend or foe from afar’.
