End of an Era: HMAS Benalla and Shepparton, Decommissioned

June 16, 2023

HMA Ships Benalla and Shepparton have been decommissioned during a small ceremony held at HMAS Cairns today, Friday 16 June 2023.

HMAS Benalla and HMAS Shepparton were retired after a combined 60 years of service in the Royal Australian Navy. The Ships were the final Paluma Class ships to decommission and are being stood-down to make way for a new, more advanced survey capability.

The four ships were built by Eglo Engineering, at their shipyard in Port Adelaide. HMAS Shepparton was laid down in September 1988, and commissioned into the RAN in January 1990 and HMAS Benalla was laid down in November 1988 and commissioned in March 1990.

These coastal survey ships usually operate as a pair, so it’s fitting that they are decommissioned together.

HMAS Benalla and HMAS Shepparton were designed and made specifically for hydrographic survey operations in the shallow waters of Northern Australia.