Holbrook submarine museum (Australia)

[Roderick Smith]

[Edited on 19.11.10 to remove references to the Japanese midget: I suspect a misconception based on the B11 being a model, not full size].

Holbrook is an inland NSW town, on the main Sydney - Melbourne Hume Hwy.
On one April Fool Day in the late 1960s, somebody had painted the submarine there yellow overnight (spurred by the Beatles song).
The story must relate to the model B11; submariner Commander Holbrook (after whom the town is named) commanded the original.  That link to submarine history must have given the impetus to obtain a larger RAN submarine when the class was being retired.
The museum has expanded from the just one model to include submarines, memorabilia, models and audivisual displays.  It is a welcome break on the long drive.

From www.about-australia.com/travel-guides/new-south-wales/the-murray/attractions/museum/holbrook-submarine-museum
Holbrook Submarine Museum is dedicated to the role of the submarine and Commander Norman Holbrook VC. Located in the submarine precinct is HMAS Otway (an Oberon Class Australian submarine), the tail end “Duck’s Arse” and a model of a B11 submarine as used by Commander Holbrook during WWI. Inside the museum is HMAS Otway’s control room, which allows you to walk through and operate the periscope. You can experience commanding HMAS Otway as well as watching DVDs on life on board and visit our Commander Holbrook room where a Victoria Cross replica is on display as well as a hologram that tells the story of Commander Holbrook's and how the town came to be named after him.

See also:
www.holbrooksubmarinemuseum.com/
www.holbrook.nsw.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=%2056&Itemid=27
www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS/EDITIONS/4809/topstories/story09.htm
and lots more by googling.

A good one on the tech specs of the class: www.anmm.gov.au/webdata/resources/pdfs/vessels/Onslow.pdf
History and tech specs: www.submarineinstitute.com/?doc=64
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberon_class_submarine which lists the fates of five of Australia's six:
* HMAS Ovens at Western Australian Maritime Museum at Fremantle
* HMAS Onslow at Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney.
* HMAS Otway on land at Holbrook, NSW.
* HMAS Otama in Westernport Bay, Victoria, awaiting conversion to a museum ship.
* HMAS Oxley’s fin stands is a memorial at HMAS Stirling, Garden Island, WA.
I am not sure what happened to HMAS Orion.  A lot of ex-navy vessels are sunk to form fish reefs and diving sites, but a submarine may be less useful in that role.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Barry]

"HMAS Orion paid off into reserve at Garden Island, Western Australia in 1996. She remained there for several years, until she was marked for disposal as scrap in September 2003. Efforts to hand her over to a State Government for preservation as a museum ship or sinking as a dive wreck failed, and submissions for disposal companies were closed off on 6 August 2004. The submarine was scrapped by Tenix at Henderson, Western Australia in December 2006. The sail was given to the City of Rockingham and is now mounted as a permanent memorial at Naval Memorial Park, Rockingham Western Australia.The port propeller was donated to the Western Australia Maritime Museum."

[Barry]

Well worth a look at if your in the area.