HDML 1321 - The End?
NT government says it intends to 'dispose of' historic Hobart-built Huon pine WWII warship
From our ABC written by Georgie Burgess 10.7.24
HDML 1321 was launched in Hobart in 1943.(Supplied: Naval Historical Society of Australia)
A historic Hobart-built warship that took commandos behind enemy lines in World War Two is set to be "disposed of" by the Northern Territory government today if it is not moved from a construction site.
The 80 foot (24-metre) Huon pine patrol boat HDML 1321 later known as Rushcutter has been sitting on a cradle in a commercial shipyard since 2018.
The shipyard is being developed into northern Australia's largest ship lift.
A letter from the NT government's Infrastructure and Planning Logistics Department, seen by the ABC, said the continued presence of the vessel was a "significant hindrance" to the ongoing construction project.
"Therefore, we intend to dispose of the vessel on or after 10 July 2024, if it remains uncollected and/or no acceptable or satisfactory instructions for its delivery are provided," the letter said.
The vessel Rushcutter has been sitting on a cradle in a commercial shipyard since 2018
(Supplied: Robert Welfare)
The letter said the group that owns the vessel, Save Motor Launch 1321, were notified in May of the urgent need to remove the boat.
"Despite the critical nature of this request and the potential impact of the vessel on construction activities, no response was received from the Association."
Robert Welfare, from Save Motor Launch 1321, said the group had not been granted access to the land the boat sits on because it is owned by a private company.
"There's a great deal of interest in Tasmania to bring this vessel back to where it was built and restore it," he said.
"Pursuant to that idea, it would be a travesty to dispose of it.
"I haven't been able to clarify how they will dispose of this vessel."
After WWII, HDML 1321 was based in Sydney for 20 years where it was used as a training vessel. It then went into private hands.(Supplied)
Mr Welfare has proposed moving the boat to a common site 150 metres away, but that option would not be organised by today.
"We need a grace period, some time to organise these things," he said.
He said the boat would not be able to be moved by road because of its length, and would require a crane and low loader to move it to a suitable location near the water.
HDML 1321 — the letters stand for Harbour Defence Motor Launch — was used by Australia's elite Z Special Unit during WWII.
It was built in Hobart by Purdon and Featherstone in 1943 and was the first of nine patrol boats built in Australia for the Navy in WWII.
During wartime the boat was known as the HDML 1321, and was used by the elite Z Special Unit. (Supplied.)
Its most notorious operation was in 1945, when eight commandos used the vessel to go behind enemy lines in Papua New Guinea as part of Operation Copper.
It later became a training vessel before going into private ownership and in 2016 it sunk off Darwin and spent two years underwater.
A small group of volunteers who formed the Save Motor Launch 1321 group purchased the boat from its former owner for $2, and tried to recover it.
In 2018, it was finally pulled out of Darwin Harbour after a mammoth effort, and has since been sitting in a purpose-built cradle on the site of the $400 million ship lift development.
Earlier this year Save Motor Launch 1321 merged with a group of passionate maritime enthusiasts including two Tasmanians to come up with a plan to save the boat from its slow death rotting away near East Arm wharf.
There were aspirations to try and return the vessel to Tasmania where it could be restored.
The shipyard where the vessel Rushcutter has been sitting since 2018 is being developed into northern Australia's largest ship lift.(Supplied: Robert Welfare)
The group was hoping the Navy could deliver it to Tasmania using HMAS Choules, as it did for historic vessel Mistral II.
That option was ruled out by Defence Minister Richard Marles.
In a letter to Save Motor Launch 1321 he said HMAS Choules was not transiting from Darwin to Hobart over the next 12 months.
"I am also advised that Defence does not retain the specialist recovery capabilities necessary to safely transport the vessel to Tasmania," the letter said.
"I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for and wish you all the best for your endeavour to relocate the vessel for specialist restoration."
The Northern Territory government says it intends to "dispose of" HDML 1321, later known as Rushcutter. (Supplied: Jeff Hawkins)
Darwin boat captain and marine pilot Ian Brokenshire said he was disappointed by the response.
"It has a history that is worthy and interesting to the public if they get to know about it," he said.
"It's in invaluable heritage item for Australia.
"It shouldn't just be a small organisation in Darwin trying to save this vessel, it should be the Australian government looking after the heritage of their military history."
Mr Brokenshire said the vessel was "sacred" to a lot of military people.
"It saved many lives and was involved in conflicts that were invaluable in Australia's success in WWII," he said.
"It deserves being recognised for what it gave this country."