HMAS Brisbane was a Town class light cruiser of the Royal Australian Navy, constructed at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney between 1913 and 1916. It was built to the Chatham subtype design and launched on 30 September 1915, with a commissioning date of 31 October 1916. The vessel measured approximately 456 feet 8 inches (139.2 meters) in length overall, with a beam of nearly 50 feet (15.19 meters) and a maximum draught of about 20 feet (6.07 meters). It displaced around 5,400 tons and was propelled by Parsons steam turbines delivering 25,000 shaft horsepower, enabling a maximum speed of 25 knots, with a recorded trial speed of 25.67 knots, and a cruising speed of 11.5 knots over a range of 4,000 nautical miles. The ship’s crew comprised 31 officers and 454 sailors. Armament included eight BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) Mk XI* guns in single mounts, a quick-firing 3-inch gun for air defense, a 12-pounder field gun, and four 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns for saluting. Close defense was provided by ten .303-inch machine guns, and two submerged 18-inch torpedo tubes were fitted on each broadside. The ship’s armor consisted of 3-inch side belts amidships, tapering to 1.5 inches at the bow and stern, with protective decking over the engine and magazine spaces, and an armored conning tower. During World War I, HMAS Brisbane served across the Indian Ocean, Pacific, and Australian coastal waters. After reaching Malta in early 1917, she was deployed on patrols searching for German raiders Wolf and Seeadler, and was equipped with the first aircraft used by the RAN—a Sopwith Baby seaplane. The cruiser participated in operations around the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Gilbert Islands, and Fiji, contributing to the Allied war effort with the battle honor "Indian Ocean 1917." Post-war, she visited the UK for refitting and returned to Australia, where she operated until 1922. Recommissioned in 1923, Brisbane served in various roles, including a stint with the China Squadron—becoming the first RAN ship to visit Japan—and as a training vessel from 1925. Her final voyage was in 1935, transporting personnel to Britain for the commissioning of HMAS Sydney. Decommissioned in September 1935, she was sold for scrap in 1936, marking the end of her distinguished service as the last coal-fueled cruiser in the British Empire.

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