Families lined the wharf at Fleet Base East as HMAS Warramunga returned to Sydney after more than three months away on a regional presence deployment.

The Anzac-class frigate sailed into the harbour on a cool and pleasant morning, greeted by waving flags, hand-made signs and emotional reunions as sailors and officers stepped ashore to embrace their loved ones.

Vanja, the mother of a warfare officer, was at the wharf with her daughter and daughter-in-law-to-be holding a large orange sign that read “Welcome home Luka”. 

“I’m so proud of him. He’s been away for more than three months now, so having him back with his family, his fiancé and his friends is just such a special moment,” she said.

“And he’s getting married – I just found out that a date has been set.”

Warramunga sailed more than 12,000 nautical miles across the Indo-Pacific, taking part in Exercise Milan in India, the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam, and follow-on training with regional partners in Singapore and Malaysia.

'This homecoming of the ship to Fleet Base East is a great opportunity to recognise ... the families for their unwavering, continuous love, support and commitment to the team whilst they've been deployed.'

Commanding Officer Warramunga Commander Ken Brown said the crew built important relationships.

“By operating alongside partner navies, this deployment strengthens interoperability, builds trust and enhances our collective capability to respond to shared security challenges,” Commander Brown said.

“Exercise Milan and then the Indian International Fleet Review were highlights. This was a ceremonial and a diplomatic exercise. We thoroughly enjoy doing that.

“Then we continued back home where we were able to do some local operations and training with our counterparts closer to home.”

Commander Surface Force Commodore Anthony Pisani said the ship’s deployment was fundamental to what Navy does.

“The Indo-Pacific regional presence deployment is a key element of Australia’s ongoing commitment to regional security and stability, demonstrating a persistent and credible maritime presence across one of the world’s most strategically significant regions,” Commodore Pisani said.

“This homecoming of the ship to Fleet Base East is a great opportunity to recognise the 192 men and women in HMAS Warramunga, and also to recognise the families for their unwavering, continuous love, support and commitment to the team whilst they've been deployed.”