HMAS Melbourne arrives for the final time in its namesake city

The navy will be in town when HMAS Melbourne returns to its namesake city for the final time.

The navel vessel was built in Williamstown and commissioned in 1992.

Since then it has covered nearly 800,000 nautical miles and been deployed on operations to the Middle East, as well as earning battle honours for service in East Timor, the Persian Gulf and the Middle East.

Commodore Greg Yorke, Senior Naval Officer of Victoria, will greet the ship when it arrives on Friday and told 3AW it will be a bittersweet day.

“She’ll be docking at station pier at 10am on Friday morning, ” said Commodore Greg Yorke.

“Around 180 officers and sailors will be marching through the streets on Saturday to exercise their freedom of entry to their own town.

“It will be her last visit to Melbourne, after she leaves she will decommission from the navy on the 26th of October.

“It will be a very sad day.”

Below are times and dates for final photographic opportunities of the HMAS Melbourne.

Wednesday 11 September

Bridgewater 6.45am
Portland 7.35am
Port Fairy 9.15am
Warrnambool 9.40am
Peterborough 11.05pm
Port Campbell 11.25pm
Twelve Apostles 12.30pm
Apollo Bay 3.50pm
Lorne 5.40pm
Aireys Inlet 6.20pm
Anglesea 6.40pm

Thursday 12 September 

Cape Patterson 9.30am
San Remo 10.00am
Smith’s Beach 10.50am
Summerland 11.10am
Point Lonsdale (The Rip) 2.00pm
Mount Martha 3.00pm

Friday 13 September

Mount Martha Cove 7.30am
Port Phillip Bay 8.00am – 10.00am
Station Pier, Port Melbourne 10.00am

Click PLAY below to hear more from Commodore Greg Yorke