HMAS Bendigo (II) was a Fremantle-class patrol boat that carried forward the proud name of the original Bathurst-class corvette, shifting from World War II convoy and minesweeping duties to modern coastal surveillance and border protection roles. Operating mainly in northern Australian waters, she conducted fisheries patrols, customs tasks, and search and rescue, often in demanding tropical conditions that tested both hull and crew. Bendigo helped bridge the transition to newer patrol platforms, maintaining a constant, watchful presence that linked her namesake city and regional Australia to the daily work of defending the nation’s maritime approaches.
