List of Queensland Maritime Defence Force ships
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Following the Jervois-Scratchley reports the colonial governments of Australia restructured their defences. One of the many outcomes of this report was the formation of the Queensland Maritime Defence Force. To equip the new force the colonial government purchased two gunboats and a torpedo boat. From this beginning eight further vessels were acquired to give Queensland the second largest fleet in the colonies behind Victoria. However the depression of the 1890s ruled out any further expansion and greatly curtailed operations.
With the federation of the Australian colonies, those vessels still in service joined the Commonwealth Naval Forces in 1901 and the Royal Australian Navy when it was formed in 1911. No ship ever met the enemy in battle or fell victum to enemy action despite the fact that most went on to long all be it in some cases humble careers in both naval and private hands past World War II. The wrecks of many can still be seen around Moreton Bay today.
[edit] Vessels
"Gayundah" Class Gunboats
This class appears to have been a fairly standard design from builders Armstrong Mitchell and Company. Therefore the name "Gayundah Class" has been used in the absence of a better title. HMVS Albert, was also built in 1884 to a very similar design and served with the colony of Victoria.
Torpedo Boat
This class also appears to have been a standard design from the builder who was in this case Thornycroft of Cheswick. TB 1 of Tasmania as well as HMVShips Lonsdale and Nepean of Victoria, were built in 1883-84 to very similar designs.
Patrol Vessel
- Otter
Auxiliary Gunboats
Converted hopper barges.
Torpedo Launch
- Midge
Mining Tender
- Miner
[edit] See also
- Colonial navies of Australia - Queensland
- Queensland Maritime Defence Force
- List of Royal Australian Navy ships
[edit] Bibliography
- Warships of Australia, Ross Gillett, Illustrations Colin Graham, Rigby Limited, 1977, ISBN 0-7270-0472-7
