HMAS Biloela
 | |
| Type | Fleet Collier |
|---|---|
| Laid down | 21 October 1918 |
| Launched | 10 April 1919 |
| Completed | 5 July 1920 |
| Builder | Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, NSW |
| Commissioned | 5 July 1920 |
| Displacement | 9,930 ton |
| Length | 382 feet 1 inch (overall) |
| Beam | 54 feet16.459 m 1,645.92 cm 0.0165 km 0.0102 mi 648 in |
| Draught | 22 feet 6inches |
| Armament |
|
| Main Machinery |
|
| Cargo Capability |
|
| Horsepower | HP 2300 |
| Speed | 11 knots5.659 m/s 20.372 km/h 0.00566 km/s 1,113.955 ft/min 18.566 ft/s |
| Complement | 70 |
Completed too late for war service, Biloela served as a fleet collier from 1920 to 1927. She was the first ship built entirely of Australian material and from Australian designs. During her short career in the RAN the ship made several voyages to New Guinea and the New Hebridies until the disposal of the squadrons coal-burning cruisers and destroyers necessitated her decommissioning on 14 November 1927.
During the early 1920s plans were formulated for Biloela's conversion to a seaplane carrier embarking twelve aircraft, but along with a similar plan for Kurumba the scheme was dropped, as it would divert the ships from their principal task of fleet support. The planned armament of two 4-inch guns was never mounted.
After sale in March, 1931 (for £14,500) Biloela was re-named Wollert (1932), Ivanhoe (1937), then Yoh Sing and finally Cree. During World War II she was three times the victim of enemy attacks. On 9 February 1940 she was damaged by aircraft five miles east of Rattray Head, Scotland and on 26 April 1940 she was again damaged by a mine in position 52 degrees 53 minutes North, 02 degrees 19 minutes East. She was eventually sunk on 21 November, 1940 in position 54 degrees 39 minutes North, 18 degrees 50 minutes West by an enemy submarine.
