HMAS Darwin preparing for final visit to namesake city before decommissioning

Royal Australian Navy’s Adelaide-class frigate HMAS Darwin is set to make a final visit to her namesake city early November before the ship decommissions at the end of the year.

Darwin is scheduled to enter Darwin Harbour on November 1 to take part in a series of events to celebrate the ship’s 33 years of service and over a million nautical miles traveled around the globe.

To celebrate HMAS Darwin’s arrival, Fort Hill Wharf will be opened to the public where the Royal Australian Navy Band will perform and a gun salute conducted as HMAS Darwin enters Darwin Harbour. A freedom of entry march by ship’s company through the city of Darwin will take place on Saturday, November 4.

Finally, the ship will welcome Darwin residents on board during an open day on November 5, before departing Darwin for the final time on November 6.

HMAS Darwin decommissions in December and is, together with other ships in her class, set to be replaced by the Australian Navy’s new Hobart-class destroyers.