HMAS Brisbane : Engine Room : Status Board No.1 Engine room

Accession Number	REL32981.001
Collection type	Technology
Object type	Maritime vessel or watercraft
Maker	Unknown
Date made	Unknown
Conflict	Gulf War, 1990-1991 Vietnam, 1962-1975

Description

The status board is located in the HMAS Brisbane Engine Room. The board is made up of a rectangular piece of wood, covered with a rectangular piece of white plastic, which is glued to the front. On the plastic front is engraved a large chart with various pieces of machinery listed and options given for what state they are in (Med, open, shut, standby etc). Small holes have been drilled into the plastic, into which wooden markers of various colours are placed to select and identify what state a machine is in. At the top of the board the plastic has been cracked and broken, the HM of HMAS Brisbane is missing and in the R/H corner another section has been broken off. There are small chips around the board and it needs a gentle clean. On the back of the board a bracket has been attached to secure it to the wall. A small wooden box has also been attached to the upper edge of the board, in which the small coloured wooden markers are stored.

History / Summary

This component was removed from HMAS Brisbane after the ship was de-commissioned in 2001. The Status Board is located in the Engine Room and is part of the equipment associated with the ship's propulsion system. HMAS Brisbane [II] was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in December 1967 and was the second vessel of that name to serve in the RAN. Known officially as DDG-41, Brisbane was the third of the RAN's American-built "Charles F. Adams" class guided-missiles destroyers. This class were the first major Australian warships designed and built in America, and were constructed by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co. The original complement of the Brisbane was 20 officers and over 300 sailors. Main armament was two 5-inch/54 calibre guns and anti-submarine torpedoes. The Ikara missile system was subsequently added. In later service the ship was known by the nick-name ‘the Steel Cat’. The HMAS Brisbane saw operational service in two conflicts. During the Vietnam War the ship undertook two tours of duty with the United States Seventh Fleet, in 1969 and again in 1971. The ship’s major task was to provide gunfire support for the land campaign. During the Gulf War (1990-91), Brisbane was one of four Australian warships to serve a tour in Gulf waters. The Brisbane arrived in the Gulf in December 1990 and operated there until March 1991, performing a number of roles. Apart from contributing to the anti-aircraft defences in the carrier screen, the ship also kept watch for mines and ensured that small civilian craft kept well away from the carrier group. Later, during Operation Desert Storm, the Brisbane controlled fighter combat air patrols and tanker aircraft. The ship’s final role was as an escort for US replenishment ships. In 2003 HMAS Brisbane was retired from service in the Royal Australian Navy. The Brisbane was the last steam powered ship in the RAN. HMAS Brisbane was sunk as a recreational dive wreck off the coast of southern Queensland in July 2005.