Royal Australian Navy minehunter HMAS Huon wrapped up a South West Pacific deployment earlier this month with the final of six port visits to Hobart, Tasmania, and her namesake city of Huonville.
Having already toured the remote Australian territories of Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, as well as Luganville and Port Vila, Vanuatu, and as far east as Nelson, New Zealand, Huon finally made her way to the southern capital for a four-day visit.
Whilst in Hobart, Huon hosted an official reception with dignitaries from the two cities, including a ceremonial sunset with a volley of blank cartridges to wow the guests on the wharf.
“To be able to visit Hobart, and return to Huonville and the Huon Valley region is a perfect way to spend my last visit as Commanding Officer,” commanding officer, HMAS Huon, Lieutenant Commander Jason Mullen.
A bigger day followed, however, with exercising freedom of entry into her namesake city for the first time in 14 years.
Huon departed Tasmania to return to her home port of HMAS Waterhen in Sydney.