HMAS Huon (D50) was a River-class torpedo-boat destroyer of the Royal Australian Navy, named after the Huon River. Laid down at Cockatoo Island Dockyard on 25 January 1913, she was launched on 19 December 1914, with her launch commemorated by the wife of politician Jens Jensen. Originally intended to be named HMAS Derwent, her name was changed prior to her 1914 launch due to a naming conflict with a Royal Navy vessel. She was commissioned into the RAN on 14 December 1915 and completed by 4 February 1916. Measuring approximately 259 feet 9 inches (79.17 meters) in overall length and 245 feet (75 meters) between perpendiculars, Huon displaced about 700 tons. Her beam was 24 feet 3.375 inches (7.40 meters), with a maximum draught of 8 feet 10 inches (2.69 meters). Propulsion consisted of three Yarrow boilers powering Parsons geared turbines, delivering 10,000 shaft horsepower to three propellers, enabling her to reach a top speed of nearly 26 knots (about 30 mph), though she averaged about 25.775 knots during trials. Her economical cruising speed was 10 knots. The ship's crew comprised 5 officers and 60 sailors. Initially armed with a single 4-inch Mark VIII gun, three 12-pounder guns, a .303-inch Maxim gun, two .303-inch Lewis guns, and three 18-inch torpedo tubes, her armament was modified during her service. In 1917, she was fitted with four depth charge chutes (later reduced), two depth charge throwers (added in 1918), and lost one torpedo tube. During her service, Huon operated primarily in the Far East and the Mediterranean. She served as a convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol vessel, notably patrolling the Adriatic Sea in 1917–18. Her wartime activities included escort duties and submarine patrols, with a collision in August 1918 with her sister ship HMAS Yarra resulting in repairs in Genoa. She also suffered from the 1918 flu pandemic during her dockyard stay, with four crew members dying. After WWI, she returned to Australia in 1919, serving in local waters and participating in notable events such as escorting the battlecruiser HMS Renown during the Prince of Wales' visit. Huon was decommissioned in 1928 and subsequently used as a target ship. On 10 April 1931, she was scuttled off Sydney after being towed out to sea. Her ship's bell is preserved at the Australian War Memorial, and her wartime service was recognized with the battle honour "Adriatic 1917–18." Her operational history underscores her role in early 20th-century naval warfare and Australia's maritime defense efforts.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.