HMAS Curlew

HMAS Curlew (M 1121) was a Ton class minesweeper operated by the Royal Navy (as HMS Chediston) from 1953 to 1961, and the Royal Australian Navy from 1962 to 1991. During her Australian service, the ship operated off Malaysia during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation during the mid-1960s, then was modified for use as a minehunter. Delays in bringing a replacement class into service kept Curlew operational until 1990, and she was sold into civilian service in 1991.

Construction
The minesweeper was built by the Montrose Shipyard in Scotland, launched on 20 February 1953, and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Chediston.

Royal Australian Navy
The ship was one of six sold to the Royal Australian Navy for A£5.5 million in 1961. Chediston was modified for tropical conditions, and commissioned on 21 August 1962 as HMAS Curlew.

During the mid-1960s, Curlew was one of several ships operating in support of the Malaysian government during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. This service was later recognised with the battle honour "Malaysia 1964-66".

In the late 1960s, Curlew and sister ship HMAS Snipe were modified for use as minehunters.

Decommissioning and fate
The delay in bringing the Bay class minehunters into service kept Curlew operational until 2001. Curlew paid off on 30 April 1990 and was sold on 17 June 1991. The vessel was to operate as a salvage mothership, but was unable to be used as such because one of the main engines was unserviceable. Curlew was used in the films Paradise Road and The Thin Red Line. After several groundings on shallow mudbanks and a short salvage trip to a reef just off the coast of central Queensland, Curlew was sold to a new owner. As of mid-2003, the ship was operating out of Port Huon, Tasmania as a fishing vessel.