Publication:Sea Talk Autumn 2006/Queenscliff Memorial service for HMAS Goorangai
By AB Jamie Anderson
(l. to r.) LS Frank Duggan, (XO) LCDR Graeme Furlonger, (CPO ret.) Keith Allen, LS Ross Jones, CPO Graham Layton, PO Steve Adderley and AB Jamie Anderson
Mine Warfare Group 54 has unveiled a memorial, including a restored inert mine, 65 years to the day after the minesweeper, HMAS Goorangai, sunk off Queenscliff, Victoria.
Mine Warfare Group 54 donated a MK48 inert mine to the memory of those past, present and future mine warfare personnel.
The project was completed in conjunction with the Mine Warfare Association and Queenscliff RSL. Keith Allen, retired Chief and honoured member of MWG54 was instrumental in bringing the project to completion.
MWG 54 personnel attended the commemorative march and ceremony at Queenscliff on November 20 last that unveiled the restored mine with plaques located on the foreshore at Queenscliff Rec Reserve.
On November 20, 1940, minesweeper trawler HMAS Goorangai a unit of the then Mine Warfare Group 54, with five Officers and 19 rating Reserves, under the command of LCDR. G.N.Boyle, steamed to Queenscliff from Williamstown, loaded vegetables, then expecting rough weather, headed across the bay towards Portsea after dark whilst showing minimum lights.
At 20:37 when midway between Queenscliff and the quarantine station she was struck forward of the funnel on the port side by the outward bound troop ship Duntroon on its way to Sydney. With both ships almost totally blacked out, and wartime security preventing the Duntroon from heaving to for any length of time or switching on searchlights to look for survivors, the crew of Goorangai, which was cut in two, had little chance. This ship was the first Naval casualty for the RAN of World War II, lost with all hands.
The Duntroon quickly lowered lifeboats, fired rockets and gave three blasts on the ships siren to warn Queenscliff of the disaster before proceeding on her way.
The wreck bell at Queenscliff was rung and the life boat manned and launched, unfortunately a valuable half was lost when the lifeboat grounded on a sand bank after launching, and the crew were forced to wait for the rising tide to carry it clear.
The minesweeper stuck hard and fast on the seabed in about eight fathoms of water with only the tops of her masts visible. Despite an extensive search, only seven bodies were recovered before the wreck was demolished by explosives on January 21, 1941.
