HMAS Castlemaine - Wonderfully Preserved History
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- čas přidán 16. 04. 2024
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The third port of call during the Shipshape Australia tour of 2023, was Melbourne, starting off with a visit to HMAS Castlmaine!
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Pinned post for Q&A :)
Can you touch on Captain Otway Burns’ exploits during the war of 1812? He was a privateer and had an interesting career. He also had a town named after him.
Let’s assume you sent a Type XXI Uboat, all weapons aboard, built to the highest standards of the time, and all its attendant plans and the knowledge of how to build all the equipment back to the Kaiserliche Marine in 1908. Would that give them enough time to retool their industry to build such a thing, further assuming that WW1 still occurs when it did? What knock-on effects does introducing 1945 technology and manufacturing techniques have on a WW1 era naval arms race?
Was there ever a feasibility study of sailing battleships?
In the book convoy escort commander.
A destroyer (V class) is featured and is mentioned to have had boilers removed and replaced with fuel tanks.
How common was this practice and when did the RN start doing this?
Was anything similar done in other navy’s?
My one question for this video is, who was manning and turning the deck gun while you filmed the Drone footage?
It was a pleasure to meet you there drach, I was the young lad, now I volunteer there every week, thanks to your help getting me into warships.
Lucky you champ. Keep up your good works
Thank you for all your hard work, and I hope I can get to Australia again to go visit so you can show me around.
Edit: I will warn you though, I like to ask a ton of questions. I turn into a kid in a candy store around history lol
I love comments like this
You're in good company here, lots of warship nuts :D
That gun crew constantly tracking the camera drone, so watchful and diligent xD
Yes, I noticed that.
I mean, have you seen what those drones can do on a modern battlefield? It's only sensible!
@@errorcrj110 tenno heika banzai!
dronechinifel?
I was watching that also and thinking "You know I bet those guys are having a ball tracking this thing, its not often they probably get to do this on something as zippy or for as much fun"
As a Junior Sailor in 1966, I did my survival at sea training and hammock set up and stow on Castlemaine. Survival at sea consisted of donning a May West vest over your overalls and boots and "safely" jumping in to Westernport Bay, swimming to a 20 man liferaft, climb on board and sit shivering, listening to a servival lecture. Then jump back in, swim to Castlemaine and be hoisted back aboard. On being promoted to a junior Officer some years later I had the "joy" of doing it all again only this time amongst some small sea ice as well. I am so glad to see her saved from the wreckers.
Ex RAN here. Joined in 1970, Survival at Sea training was conducted from the deck of the HMAS CASTLEMAINE in winter. Jumped overboard, swim 50 yards out to a bouy and return to a life raft at her stern: out of the life raft and swim to the recovery davit to be hoisted back aboard. The water temp was 49F. Nearly froze and as usual at HMAS CERBERUS no hot showers.
You are kidding me Drach: having first noticed the Castlemaine across Hobson's Bay as a teenager in the 70's, I always wanted to make the time to have a closer look and step aboard.
Which I finally did, 2 weeks ago.
God Bless Australia 🇦🇺 Regards from Canada 🇨🇦
It brings me so much pride seeing international history enthusiest taking interest in Australia's history. Thankyou so much Drach for taking interest 🙂
Welcome to Melbourne! A beltated one at that. We drydocked her in our graving dock next door at BAE back in 2011 or so for a cleanup on her shell plating. She was so small for it, it was like seeing a rubber duckie in a bathtub. We built the now current AWD blocks and LHD superstructure there same yard
So glad someone finally bothered to drydock her. The dingo formerly in charge said no even though the engineers said yes and could actually get her there under her own steam technically. My dad, now a retired Naval Captain, was on the board of the Castlemaine at the time and he was understandably furious that this ship seemed to be used as a tourist attraction without the up keep. One per year we fired off her gun, in reply to the cannon on the foreshore. Dad fired it off, simply a charge up the barrel and fired using wires to a car battery. Dad was Naval Ordnance Inspector Vic before becoming Inspector of Naval Ordnance Canberra.
The flags read J244, with the last one being "3rd repeated", which might mean "I'm on fire, keep clear 244 feet/yards/cables/miles (whatever)", but is just the hull number of the ship.
I have always known that as the 3rd substitute
thanks for answering trivia that i wouldn't have thought to ask about!
@@ARockRaider I was not talking to you. Drach asked @17:25.
@@hughledger7835 I am no naval expert, but, I though that "3rd" or "3rd substitute" would be harder to understand for people who are not deep into the subject, so I wrote as I did.
@@zoranocokoljic8927 oh, must have missed that.
sorry if my comment sounded snarky i genuinely find trivia like this to be interesting!
For awhile HMAS Castlemaine served stella service as the hot water boilers for shore base HMAS Cerberus before her retirement to Williamstown as a museum ship. I had many a happy hour as a kid playing with that 40mm Bofors before it was shifted to HMAS Castlemaine, and even more happy kid hours climbing all throughout the HMAS Castlemaine during the late 70's and early 80's.
That's the happiest assistant on that Bofors ever!
That's the first museum ship I have seen where visitors are allowed to train the guns. Normally they are either locked down or seized up or both.
Perhaps it's because she's in such good condition that even maintaining the guns remains easy, compared to other museums where everything is a bit rusty.
Some do. I know Texas let you move the AA guns as does Slater.
There's also the Yorktown in Charleston, South Carolina. At least, I could train the AA guns 40 years ago when I visited there...
You could elevate and depress the quad 40mm Bofors on the U.S.S. Massachusetts when I was last up there many years ago, but they wouldn't swing around, but those Bofors' had a different style of crank that let you get both hands on it with 180 degrees offset, which made cranking them much easier. Unfortunately, though, the 20mm oerlikons were all either roped off or removed. I'll be going up there again in a couple months though, so I'll update you guys if I remember. I make no guarantees though!
you never know when you might need them in case of emus.
I'd like to point out that HMAS Cerberus is a stone frigate, in fact a Training establishment down at Crib Point on the Mornington Peninsula. The wreck you refer to is the HMVS Cerberus (Her Majesty's Victorian Ship) is a breastwork monitor that served in the Victoria Naval Forces, the Commonwealth Naval Forces (CNF), and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) between 1871 and 1924. I worked on the Castlemaine during her initial start to restoration that no one really took seriously at first. We tried, god knows we tried, to get dockyard space. Three of us worked with needle guns for rust removal before repainting the decks. This led to the need for welding up of holes and the inevitable small below deck fire. All of us were volunteers and we had some community service people who got the nasty jobs of cleaning out the fresh water tanks and removing the old and peeling tar coating. Because the dork in charge at that time would not come out of his comfort zone of allowing tourists on board, not enough meaningful work got done. I was sorry to leave but things picked up and this grand old ship got the care she deserved.
I used to volunteer on that ship back in the late 90s. Was great to help preserve some of our history.
Nice to see you there Drach. As someone born in Castlemaine, I was astonished to discover this well preserved ship named after my home town, when I moved to Melbourne.
G’day Drach, Gerard here I enjoyed meeting you on your visit to the HMAS Castlemaine and getting to know more about your knowledge of navel warfare, I also enjoyed having lunch with you and the rest of the crew and talking about our past family experiences from history, for any of drach’s fans who haven’t been to gem pier the name of the seafood venue is “Off the pier Fish n Chips” as drach has stated it is surprisingly good and we highly recommend you to have a feed their if you do intend to visit the HMAS Castlemaine.
All said and done thank you so much for coming to Melbourne Drach we’d love to see you return someday.
- Gerard Connor
i spent a few months around willy in 2007. all the fish and chip shops in willy scored 5 stars from me.
This ship is just so well presented. Gives one of the best impressions of what you’d seen at the time of it was operational. It almost seems inappropriate to call it a museum ship.
My grandfather served on Castlemaine's sister ship (HMAS Wagga) as the gunnery commander and then took over briefly when the Captain was wounded. I still have original trench glasses and massive field glasses from the bridge but aren't ready to donate them yet. The Castlemaine caretakers took great interest and gave a great tour of the ship when I visited it some 20 years ago.
Melbourne resident commenting. This is a great day out option. A decade ago I knew a retired naval engineer who advised on the restoration of HMAS Castlemaine. He told me that it was a complex but very personally satisfying task. There was a massive amount of work especially in dealing with the lower decks which were full of asbestos sheeting. I toured the ship soon after that time and saw lots. I had a great time even as a non sailor. Numerous area remained out of bounds due to ongoing works.
I was there that day. It was magnificent!
Where you on the 40 mm with Drach mate ?
@@ColinFreeman-kh9us No.
I was down in the engine room talking with Dr Clarke.
@@GrahamWKidd ok
Are you going to do a walkaround the destroyer HMAS Vampire and O-Boat HMAS Onslow in Sydney? They are both fantastic visits!
He did on Vampire, so you will see it soon
@@yangliu128cant wait for that...hope there is some memorabilia from HMS Repulse and KGV aboard. iirc vampire was one of the ships that picked up their survivors
@@GearGuardianGaming Different HMAS _Vampire,_ since the one that sailed in WWII was sunk in 1942.
I like how the main guns are following the drone.
Holy shit, you actually covered a ship that I've been on, down in the Land Down Under. That's awesome :D
Been waiting for this,, I was there before lunch a month or whatever ago, well worth the tenish bucks. In terms of condition, while I was there two kids of ~10 manned traverse and elevation on the aft gun and targeted a jetstar flight climbing out
Agreed, well worth the tenner
Lmfao, not a worthy target they let it pass mate
HMAS Castlemaine is the only known ship with four X turrets
Wouldn't give a xxxx for any other turret
Drach’s helpers seem to be having the time of their lives
AA gun spin and radio explanation was wonderful. Thanks!
I so wish I could have met drac when he was here
He has that effect, doesn't he.
I was lucky enough to meet him on Perth and I will say he is as wonder a gentleman in person as you could hope to meet and his stories are just fascinating.
Back in about 1972 I went to visit HMS Belfast with my friend Mark Shepherd and we enjoyed ourselves training the AA guns
that gun was made in my home town, seeing this tugs the heart strings
Can't believe I missed Drach when he was in Melbs! Wonder if he eyeballed the Armstrong muzzle loading fortress guns from 1867 that are on the Williamstown foreshore around the corner from the Castlemaine. They are also a great piece of local Naval history from when the colony of Victoria felt it was necessary to defend the Port of Melbourne from potential Russian incursions.
One of my absolute favorites of all time! She's moored in my home town - shame I didn't get to meet you there Drach! Thanks for covering this small yet mighty ship.
Visited there in 2019 when I went to Australia to see my daughter and nephew! Lovely little ship. Also went to the fantastic Sydney Maritime museum, spent all day there!
I absolutely love this class of warship, and feel they are often overlooked. The corvette/sloop, short of a destroyer but larger than a gunboat. I feel these are an often overlooked important part of the entire naval picture, and love the coverage.
Still annoyed at myself I never got to meet Drach, however I did end up meeting HMAS Castlemaine and would highly recommend a visit. Also the squid cups on the wharf are delicious!
I lived in Melbourne about 15 years ago and visited Castlemaine numerous times. haven't been able to come down from North Queensland for a revisit, but its good to see the ship is in good condition.
My fondest memory of Castlemaine was my last visit in 2013, on ferry ride over you could see HMAS Canberra being fitted in the near by docks.
One can definitely see the influence of the Flower Class on the design of the Castlemaine. I am reminded of the similarities to the Patrol Craft all metal Subchaser vessels of the U.S. Navy during WW2. My Grandfather served aboard PC-564 (Later USS Chadron) during her involvement in the Granville Raid in 8-9 March, 1945. Like the HMAS Castlemaine, she also was similarly armed with a 3/50 Dual purpose gun forward, 3 20mm Oerlikons around the flying bridge, one 40mm Bofors AA mount abaft the superstructure, a set of depth charge racks aft with two K-Gun mounts on either side of the fantail. She also was equipped with a forward firing depth bomb contraption called a "Mousetrap" which was a sort of American version of the Hedgehog, although with only 8 mortar bombs instead of 24. Similar radar, sonar and radio equipment. Instead of triple expansion engines, the PCs were equipped with diesel engines based upon the railroad diesels that powered many American submarines. The crew consisted of 60 enlisted and five Officers. What was the compliment of the Castlemaine I wonder? Great video Alex!
As a POM living in Melbourne I must congratulate you firstly on a great video and secondly on your perfect pronunciation of Melbourne. 👏 👏 👏
5:45 what an absolute bada$$ little ship
Around 13:00 - I’ve always suspected it’d be useful to have an Aussie hand - nice to have it confirmed.
I made the mistake of forgetting to check whether she was open for visiting on the day I went to see her while in Melbourne. Until I can make another trip, this makes an excellent virtual tour
Yes, she is only open on Saturday 10-4
4:04 that shot of the drone flying around the ship with the fore gun turret rotating along with it was really nice
Such a beautiful ship. I love to go to Liberty square in Charleston SC and I thought those ships were in really good shape but that ship is an absolutely beauty.
Finally I can see myself in the video😊
Hi Drach A great video. It was a pleasure meeting you that day. This really shows the HMAS Castlemaine in a whole new perspective. I saw myself in the video talking to the chap in the Red T shirt. I agree with you regarding the nearby fish and chips shop.
I was born and live about 15 minutes from the town of Castlemaine. It's a small, pretty country town in central Victoria. It's got a local reputation as being mostly inhabited by hippies, hicks and queer folk.
A lot of magic mushrooms grow in the area each winter. The Campbells Creek Pine Plantation has some great 4wding tracks too.
Also I had no idea you came to Melbourne! If I had've known I would've done everything possible to try and be there at HMAS Castlemaine while you were. It would've been amazing to meet you!
Oh well, that's life I guess 😅
One of my fondest memories is "playing" with the Castlemaine's Bofors with my 6 year old son.
We shot down many enemy aircraft and even a few UFO's.
12:57 "It's useful, having an Australian around."
Yep, that might have been me. You’ll see how useful on a later video where the next day after HMAS Castlemaine, I took the guys to Fort Nepean, the wreck of the submarine J7, HMVS Cerberus and the Moorabbin Air Museum to see some ex RAN aircraft and a Canberra bomber….
I volunteered on her around 1984-5. My mate and I redid the wiring for the Gyro compass, while his father was repairing the boilers. We only had 1/2 a safety valve because it had been sectioned for training purposes!
I wish more big ships had been preserved outside of the US. Would I be able to visit? Unlikely. But to know that they’re still out there? To be in a world you could see Warspite, Dreadnought, HMAS Australia, etc.
i livell d in this city my whole life and only went to this area - williamstown for the first time in 2021. i've since left, but seeing this ww2 era combat vessel was amazing and i only saw the outside of it. i had virtually no interest in naval history and have only chanced upon your channel, and you've inspired a lot of interest on the subject for me. it's great to hear you talk about this, maybe the only naval thing i've actually personally stood before, and to learn that it earns such high praise. had no idea when i saw it. will have to go back now
They did an amazing job restoring her to current state..
Drach just a small note BATHURST is pronounced BATH “ IST “ by blokes ( or people generally ) from Bathurst as I am. Hope you enjoyed your trip down here mate, great channel.
Thanks for highlighting this ship from my home town, next to the naval dockyard that services RAN ships and built the ANZAC class ships.
Great video. I am delighted by what we saw of HMAS Castlemaine - Australia's 'Bathursts' had an extraordinary record in ww2, serving in pretty much every imaginable capacity that a warship of that size could serve, and then some. This ship is a worthy representative and memorial.
I live close by, I was considering volunteering at some point! Even aside from her history, the Castlemaine means a lot to me personally, as I'd always sit on the pier she sat beside. I was there for her 80th anniversary too, and I must have at least 200 photos of her. I started taking them every time I've seen her since 4 years ago or so.
I’m so happy to see the wonderful HMAS Castlemaine featured by Drach. I’m only sorry I was unable to meet you there that day. PS agree re the nearby fish and chips shop
That radar display looks similar in a way to one I used in the RAN(the American made SPA-25) starting in 1988. Different types of course, but still a big box with a screen on top and a bunch of different shaped controls on it. We had no need for those shrouds in the ops room though, obviously. The centre of the display in the video appears to simulate sea clutter, a bain of older surface search/navigation radars without filtering or computerisation. It tended to make them useless within about 1-2 nautical miles, depending on sea state. BTW, PPI mentioned here stands for Plan Position Indicator, because it’s a plan view of the radar picture.
Always wanted to get a good look at one up close. As my grandad served on HMAS Lismore.
The signal flying is J244, her "pennant number", aka side number. During wartime, side numbers are usually blanked out so that intelligence collectors can't identify which specific ship is present (for the same reason, during wartime, tallybands have "Royal Australian Navy" or "HMAS", rather than the "HMAS ship name" that is used in peacetime). There are actually several identifying signals that could be used. In different theatres, the command admiral for that theatre would provide an encoded callsign for each ship - both merchant and naval - specific to that command, and changed regularly. Then there is the international callsign, back then known more often as the radio callsign, which was a radio identifier similar to aircraft callsigns. Of note, in modern Commonwealth navies, it is this international callsign that is now flown to identify the ship (such as during harbour entry and departure). Then there is the actual ships name which, in the WWII era, was really only used when yelling (such as ships boats or ship to ship) or through speaker systems. Of note, the encoded callsign was what gave thr game away when the HSK Kormoran sank the HMAS Sydney II - Kormoran was disguised as an actual dutch freighter operating in the area, and gave the correct international callsign, name and side numbers, but failed to provide the encoded callsign...but by that stage, Sydney was too close to evade the older guns on the Kormoran. But, there you go. A bit of naval radio history and vexillology for the day! (No guesses as to what rate I was when i first joined.😅)
After going to so many museum ships with 40mm bofors on them that are completely locked and have pieces missing it is really cool to see one actually moving
Welcome to Melbourne matey. I remember this ship well, my father took me to see it when I was a young teenager. I will take my family there soon to check it out. When I saw it, it was guttered, it would be great to see it restored.
I remember this old girl from my recruit training days at HMAS CERBERUS. We did some Seamanship training and were taught how to sling a hammock in her mess deck. I remember the “Stockers” undergoing training in her engineering spaces. That was then the cleanest engine/space I was ever going to see for the next several years of my enlistment. “You could have eaten off the deck” it was so clean.
The sad day came when she was taken to Williamstown naval dockyards, painted black and used as a boiler/bilge cleaning hulk.
So relieved to later seeing her taken under hand of the Navy Museum Volunteers who so diligently and lovingly cleaned her up and restored her to her former glory.
Beautiful little ship. I'm glad she's been preserved.
25:55 the radar was built by AWA (Amalgamated Wireless Australasia ) en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AWA_Technology_Services
Nice presentation Drach. It was great to meet you in Fremantle during your Australia trip.
These drone beautyshots are excellent!
Wow Drach - stunning job with the on location audio! The wind is blowing obviously by the flapping of the flags and not even a tinge of wind noise! Well done and the addition of the drone footage is top shelf if I haven't mentioned it before though I have seen it when you first started to incorporate it.
I thought she was much bigger than that, but I was only 10 when I went aboard back in 1980.
They have done a lot of work to her since then, looking better than new.
For those who want to see a WWII era mine sweeper here in the States, if you live around or are visiting Omaha, NE, there is Freedom Park which has USS Hazard AM-240 (rather ominously named to be sure). It's been many years since I've visited but it was it pretty good condition last I saw it.
I'm in Wisconsin...and I'm fairly courious , how the Dickens did they get a ship to Omaha ? ..what the name of a pretty big river , that's gets you near Omaha ? ...did they roll it on top of logs. From Vicksburg?..no wait ! Did they cut it up and ship it by rail?... Omaha. Omaha Omaha...did they skid it on wet sand like an Egyptian?
@@user-ie1tz5rm8x The Missouri River eventually runs into the Mississippi River and that river runs to the Gulf of Mexico. I'm pretty sure it was a tight fit and they definitely had to take down the radar mast to make it fit under the bridges. Or at least that's the only way I can think of to get a 500+ ton ship up here.
@@user-ie1tz5rm8xThey also have a sub there
The Missouri River
My son and I toured her summer ‘23, and she was by far one of the most impressive and enjoyable museum ships we’ve ever had the pleasure to board. Her condition is stunning, the work they did to get her there amazing, and her docents and some of the best we’ve had a chance to speak with.
If you find yourself in Melbourne, she’s a must-see.
I grew up a few hundred meters from this, near the tower block you can see in the forward looking shots, was lovely to see the Williamstown, don't get over there much now. The gardens at Nelson Place and the Castlemaine itself were one of my playgrounds, especially in the summer
That’s like a Pebble Beach Concours ship. Flawless.
I’m assuming the flags were saying Paul Hogan will be fired upon if sighted.
A terrific video of a fantastic little ship. Thanks for all the hard work you put into the channel Drach, and well done to all those who keep these marvellous museum ships going.
That ship is in absolutely gorgeous condition! WELL DONE!!!
The signal says J-2-4-6, which is interesting considering Castlemaine is J244. J246 was HMAS Fremantle.
The forward gun mount was tracking the drone as it circled the ship.
Truly amazing restoration work thank you
Thank You, Drach, for a great video. Have toured Castlemaine a number of times as Melbourne is my home town. She is a wonderful assert of our city.
I visited HMAS Castlemaine on 2018, really beautifully preserved！
There was a Wild Colonial Boy, Jack Duggan was his name
He was born and raised in Ireland, in a place called Castlemain
He was his father's only son, his mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love, the Wild Colonial Boy
At the early age of eighteen years, he left his native home
And to Australia's sunny shore, he was inclined to roam
He robbed the rich, to help the poor, he shot Judge McEvoy
A terror to Australia was, the Wild Colonial Boy
One morning on the prairie, as Jack he rode along
A listening to the mocking bird, singing a cheerful song
Up rode three mounted troopers, Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
They all set out to capture him, the Wild Colonial Boy
Surrender now, Jack Duggan, for you see we're three to one
Surrender in the Queen's high name, you are a plundering son
Jack drew two pistols from his belt and proudly waved them high
"I'll fight but not surrender, " said the Wild Colonial Boy
He fired a shot at Kelly, which brought him to the ground
And turning round to Davis, he received a mortal wound
A bullet pierced his proud young heart, from the pistol of Fitzroy
And that was how they captured him, the Wild Colonial Boy
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The "gyro compass" on the bridge is a probably a "gyro repeater" with the main gyro located below deck in the "gyro room" :-)
Heavy depth charge can sometimes mean just literally heavy, meaning with more weights. This for making them sink faster due to more weight compared to the light weight in comparison explosive filling. Meant to be used to chase down say a submarine one thinks has had time to dive deeper or a submarine model known to be a faster diver and thus thinking the "light" depth charge won't sink to it's detonation depth in time to be effective.
Funny to see the 4 inch gun training on the drone in the first part of the vid
The Nelson-class has her Queen Anne Mansions, the Bathurst-class has er, Queen Anne's Garden Shed?
Love the "gunners" trying to keep up with the drone.
🤣
An excellent video, as always.
For some strange reason that ship makes me want to go privateering or put the crew of star trek on there and have them sail the Pacific in 1943. What a useful little ship for many roles.
visited her myself a month ago. great museum
i dont know what memorabilia is displayed aboard this ship but back when the objective of this group was the cerberus, my grandmother donated documents and the posting records of mr. paul who spent time on all victorian navy ships including the cerberus and the nelson. she also donated part of a periscope mirror reputed to have been souvenired from a ww1 u-boat. i retain his sailor's chest which was taken with him onboard all his postings.
It’s a beautiful ship!
Thanks!!
Looks like you managed to catch one of our fairer autumn days in Melbourne for this shoot, hope you got a good look around while you were here!
Beautiful restoration. Great job. Thank you for this video.
2:59 She looks stunningly good, as in "Stick some fuel-oil in and we're away " good.
Signal is "Juliett 244", which is her Hull Number, so she's basically wearing a name tag in Naval Signal form. All we need is a big red "Hello. My Name Is..." banner above it.
Being a "Snipe" (ship's engineer), going above the main deck tended to lead to bloody noses due to the altitude. 😆
That said, how did you get J244 from the signal flags? The "J", "2", and first "4" I understand. But not the second "4".
The last flag is a NATO "3rd Substitute" signal flag, so ...?
Thanks Dach,
I’ve been looking forward to your Melbourne videos.
Fantastic Drach, thank you!!
Excellent job of restoration
Very excited for Diamantina. Walked past it every day when I was in university. Built in my birthplace of Maryborough. The shipyard closed in the 1970s but they still make trains there. Military manufacturing came back a couple years ago with Rheinmetall setting up a 155mm shell foundry.
I love these video's highlighting museum ships. I wish everybody would visit, learn the historical significance of, & support these wonderful ships.