HMAS
Kimbla was built by
Walkers of
Maryborough, Queensland, being commissioned on 26 March 1956. It operated in Australian and New Guinea waters, laying and maintaining moorings. Built as a
boom defence vessel, it was converted to an
oceanographic research ship in 1959.
Kimbla participated in a number of salvage operations. In June 1960 it was involved in the recovery of a
Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538 followed in November 1961 by
Ansett-ANA Flight 325. In October 1962 it was involved in the recovery of a RAN Sea Venom aircraft off
Jervis Bay and in 1978 of a
General Dynamics F-111C off New Zealand. When it was decommissioned on 15 February 1985,
Kimbla was the last RAN ship to use a
reciprocating steam engine as a form of propulsion. ==References==