Here lies the skeletal remains of the HMQS Gayundah. This flat-iron gunboat now serves as a breakwater. But she was once a proud vessel of the Queensland Maritime Defence Force. Later, she became part of the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Gayundah.
The HMQS Gayundah’s story began in the 1880s. Concerns arose about Russian influence in the Pacific. Queensland decided to establish its own Maritime Defence Force. In 1884, they ordered their first vessels. These included the torpedo boat HMQS Mosquito. They also ordered two gunboats HMQS Gayundah and HMQS Paluma.
HMQS Gayundah was built by Sir W.G. Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. She was launched on May 13, 1884, in Newcastle upon Tyne. The construction cost about 35,000 pounds sterling. HMQS Gayundah was commissioned in October 1884 after completing trials.
The ship displaced 360 tons. She measured 120 feet long and had a 26-foot beam. Her draught was 9.5 feet. The HMQS Gayundah was propelled by steam engines. These drove two screws, producing 400 ihp. Her range was 700 to 800 miles at 10.5 knots.
Her armament included one 8-inch gun and one 6-inch gun. She also had two 1.5-inch Nordenfelt guns. Two machine guns completed her arsenal. Her complement consisted of 55 men. Her name Gayundah is from an Aboriginal word for lightning.
In November 1884, HMQS Gayundah set sail for Australia. Captain Henry Townley Wright commanded the ship. They traveled via the Suez Canal. The ship arrived in Brisbane on March 27, 1885.
Wright also headed the Queensland Maritime Defence Force. He got into trouble for misusing government resources. He even aimed the ship’s gun at Queensland Parliament. The government dismissed him, and police escorted him off the ship.
The HMQS Gayundah served as a training ship. She also made history with the first ship-to-shore radio transmissions in Australia. In 1899, the ship was refitted. Her armament was updated.
Following the Federation of Australia, HMQS Gayundah joined the Commonwealth Naval Forces in 1901. In 1903, she transmitted the first wireless message. The message was received at a station in Brisbane. It detailed gun drills and weather conditions.
In 1911, HMQS Gayundah became HMAS Gayundah. She sailed to Broome, Western Australia. She enforced Australia’s territorial boundary. The ship detained Dutch schooners fishing illegally.
During World War I, HMAS Gayundah patrolled the coast. She guarded Moreton Bay and Port Jackson. She made no contact with enemy ships.
HMAS Gayundah was decommissioned in 1918. In 1921, she was sold to Brisbane Gravel Pty Ltd. She hauled sand and gravel on the Brisbane River. In 1930, she sank but was raised again.
In 1958, the hull was sold to the Redcliffe Town Council. On June 2, 1958, the Gayundah was beached here. She became a breakwater near Woody Point.
Today, the remains of the HMQS Gayundah serve as a reminder. She is a symbol of Queensland’s maritime history. Her guns are preserved at the Australian War Memorial. A scale model is also on display. The HMQS Gayundah’s story continues to fascinate. She stands as a testament to a bygone era.