A Hidden Tragedy

The untold story of Australia’s first Royal Australian Navy wartime loss — revealed in full for the first time.

While the thunder of overseas battles often dominates the narrative of Australians in World War Two, a forgotten tragedy unfolded in the quiet waters of Port Phillip Bay. In 1940, less than 100 km from Melbourne, the humble minesweeper HMAS Goorangai was on a vital mission, clearing German-laid sea mines in Bass Strait, when she was catastrophically struck by the much larger merchant vessel, MV Duntroon.

Within minutes, the Goorangai was gone, taking all 24 of her crew to their watery graves. This little-known collision, often overlooked or misrepresented, is finally brought to light in a meticulously researched and fully referenced account.

Discover the untold story of the collision, the desperate search, the challenging salvage operations, and the puzzling aftermath. Uncover why the Duntroon’s master, despite causing the disaster, evaded all charges, and why one sailor remains unidentified to this day. This book cuts through the inaccuracies and vested interests of past accounts, offering a compelling and definitive narrative that reveals the true events of that fateful night.