Listen closely. The story of HMAS Karangi is one of war, nuclear tests and a quiet end in Homebush Bay. HMAS Karangi was a boom defence vessel. She served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. This Bar-class ship was built at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney. Karangi launched on August 16, 1941.
After the war, HMAS Karangi played a role in the British nuclear testing program. The ship was placed in reserve in 1953. Reactivated in 1955, she served for two more years. Karangi was eventually sold for scrap in 1966.
HMAS Karangi sailed from Sydney to Darwin after commissioning. This voyage occurred on December 26, 1941. In Darwin, the ship worked anti-submarine boom gates. This allowed Allied ships to enter and exit the harbour during daylight.
During the Bombing of Darwin on February 19, 1942, HMAS Karangi returned fire. The ship escaped damage. She earned the battle honour “Darwin 1942–43” for her defence of Darwin. Until 1944, HMAS Karangi remained in Darwin. She then sailed for Fremantle. She stayed there until the end of the war.
After the war, HMAS Karangi helped raise a sunken submarine. It was the Royal Netherlands Navy submarine HNLMS K XI. This operation took place in Fremantle Harbour in early 1946. In 1947, HMAS Karangi searched for a naval mine. The mine had not sunk and was adrift near Rottnest Island. The crew tried to sink it with rifle fire. They lost contact in the darkness. The ship searched for three more days but could not find the mine again.
In 1950, HMAS Karangi visited several Western Australian ports. Navy reserve volunteers were welcomed aboard for training cruises. For many veterans, it was their first time back on a Navy ship since the war. From November 9 to 27 of that year, HMAS Karangi carried British scientists and military officers. They conducted a survey of the Montebello Islands. The islands were considered as a potential site for nuclear weapons testing. The operation was conducted in secrecy.
In February 1951, HMAS Karangi assisted HMAS Labuan. Labuan had broken down at sea while returning from Antarctica. She towed Labuan back to Fremantle for repairs. On January 7, 1952, an accident occurred. A feedwater heater tank exploded in HMAS Karangi’s engine room. Six sailors were injured.
In December 1951, the Montebello Islands were selected for the first British nuclear test. It was called “Operation Hurricane”. HMAS Karangi and HMAS Koala laid moorings and marker buoys there. In April, HMAS Karangi supported the construction of infrastructure for the tests. The ship remained in the area until August. She then sailed to Sydney for a refit. HMAS Karangi was not present when the atomic bomb was detonated on October 3.
Under the command of Lieutenant Commander Richard Taudevin, HMAS Karangi sailed to Williamstown Dockyard in March 1953. In November, the ship visited the Montebello Islands again. They recovered equipment and the remains of HMS Plym. The crew ate fish caught near the test site. They were allowed to go ashore for recreation. A contaminated Land Rover was taken ashore and driven on public roads to HMAS Leeuwin.
HMAS Karangi continued operations in Western Australian waters until September 1954. The ship supported oil exploration activities. She was then placed in reserve but reactivated in April 1955. HMAS Karangi sailed with HMAS Warrego in October 1955 for further nuclear tests. The ship laid moorings and conducted surveys. This was in preparation for Operation Mosaic. HMAS Karangi remained in the Montebellos. She was near the naval base camp at Onslow during the second Mosaic detonation.
On May 31, 1957, HMAS Karangi was again placed in reserve. She remained moored at Athol Bight in Sydney Harbour. In 1966, she was sold for scrap. The superstructure was removed. The hulk was abandoned at Homebush Bay in 1970.
Today, the remains of HMAS Karangi lie here. It serves as a reminder of a time when this area was surrounded by industrial activity. The redevelopment of the area has led to renewed interest in HMAS Karangi. It stands as a unique landmark in Sydney Olympic Park.