See main article: Bathurst-class corvette. In 1938, the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board (ACNB) identified the need for a general purpose 'local defence vessel' capable of both anti-submarine and mine-warfare duties, while easy to construct and operate.[2] [3] The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least, and a range of [4] The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled Bar-class boom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a top speed, and a range of, armed with a 4 inch Mk XIX gun, equipped with asdic, and able to fitted with either depth charges or minesweeping equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to a sloop than a local defence vessel, the resulting increased capabilities were accepted due to advantages over British-designed mine warfare and anti-submarine vessels.[2] [5] Construction of the prototype did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.[6] The need for locally built 'all-rounder' vessels at the start of World War II saw the "Australian Minesweepers" (designated as such to hide their anti-submarine capability, but popularly referred to as "corvettes") approved in September 1939, with 60 constructed during the course of the war: 36 ordered by the RAN, 20 (including Goulburn) ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2] [7] [8] [9] [1]
At 743 tons standard displacement, Goulburn exceeded the designed standard displacement of the Bathurst class ships by 93 tons.[1]
Goulburn was laid down by the Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, New South Wales on 10 July 1940.[1] She was launched on 16 November 1940 by the wife of Rear Admiral John Gregory Crace, the commander of the Australian Squadron, and was commissioned on 28 February 1941.[1]
After entering active service, Goulburn was assigned to minesweeping duties along the east and south-east coasts of Australia, and was one of several ships attempting to locate mines deployed by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin and the auxiliary minelayer Passat.[1] Although operating in this role from 23 April to 31 May 1941, the corvette located only a single mine.[1]
On 16 June, Goulburn and sister ship Burnie were assigned to the China Station and sailed to Singapore.[1] The corvettes operated as convoy escorts, minesweepers, and anti-submarine patrol ships until January 1942.[1] Goulburn was then deployed to Batavia and used as a minesweeper and convoy escort throughout the Sunda Islands.[1] On 27 February, the corvette passed the ABDA cruiser force shortly before the beginning of the Battle of the Java Sea.[1] Although removed from the main battle area, Goulburn was attacked by three waves of three Japanese dive bombers, but was undamaged.[1] On 29 February, Goulburn departed for Australia, arriving in Fremantle on 9 March with only seven tons of fuel remaining.[1] The corvette was assigned to convoy escort runs along the Queensland coast until the end of 1943, then entered a three-month refit.[1]
After refitting, Goulburn was deployed to New Guinea waters as an escort and patrol vessel.[1] During June 1944, the corvette supported landings at Dugumu Bay and Sogari Island.[1] On 25 September, native scouts and a US Army Intelligence officer were embarked to be transported to the Malpia Islands.[1] The native scouts were landed on 27 September to assess Japanese troop strength throughout the island group.[1] After the scouts failed to rendezvous with the ship two days later, and following a failed search attempt by six sailors and the US officer, it was assumed that the scouts had been captured.[1] This was confirmed when American PT boats attempted to land troops on the island a few days later, meeting heavy Japanese resistance.[1] Before leaving the area, Goulburn shelled a village on Pegun Island believed to hold Japanese troops.[1] At the start of October, the corvette was tasked with retrieving another native scout group. After several failed attempts to locate the scouts, they were retrieved from Mois Aoeri Island.[1] While returning to the ship, the shore party was able to capture three Japanese soldiers attempting to escape in a canoe.[1] After observing numerous Japanese personnel on shore, and receiving conformation that several hundred Japanese were based on the island, Goulburn opened fire on the main camp.[1] After these operations, the corvette returned to convoy escort duties until December 1944, then returned to Australia.[1]
Goulburn spent the first part of 1945 operating in Australian waters, before returning to New Guinea in May.[1] She spent a month on escort and minesweeping duties, before sailing to Darwin and escorting a floating dry dock to Milne Bay.[1] The corvette remained in New Guinea waters until the end of the war on 15 August.[1] On 30 August, Goulburn and two sister ships escorted a convoy to Hong Kong, arriving on 21 September.[1] The corvette was involved in minesweeping operations throughout Chinese waters, before returning to Sydney in December 1945.[1]
The ship received two battle honours for her wartime service: "Pacific 1942–44" and "New Guinea 1942–44".[10] [11]
Goulburn was paid off on 27 September 1946.[1] She was sold to Pacific Enterprise Incorporated on 13 October 1947, and after several re-sales, ended up in the possession of the Ta Hing Company of Hong Kong in December 1950.[1] However, a Commonwealth Statutory Order prevented the ship from leaving Australian waters, and she was sold again to John Manners & Co of Sydney in 1953.[1] The corvette was broken up for scrapping at Iron Cove in 1953.