MV Cape Don
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Name | Cape Don |
| Namesake | Cape Don Light |
| Owner | Commonwealth Lighthouse Service |
| Route | Australian coast |
| Builder | State Dockyard, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Laid down | 1962 |
| Launched | 1962 |
| Completed | 1963 |
| Maiden voyage | 29 March 1963 |
| In service | 1963 |
| Out of service | 1990 |
| Homeport | Fremantle |
| Status | Museum Ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Lighthouse tender |
| Tonnage | 2103 GRT |
| Length | 74.3m |
| Beam | 12.8m |
| Draft | 4.37m |
| Installed power | 2000bhp |
| Propulsion | Polar M65T |
| Speed | 12.5 knots |
| Complement | 39 |
MV Cape Don is a lighthouse tender, situated as a museum ship in Waverton, New South Wales, Australia.
Built and launched by the State Dockyard at Newcastle, New South Wales in 1962 for the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service, the ship serviced the lighthouses, lightships and bouys of the Australian coast from 1963 to the early 1990s. The ship is being restored by the labour of enthusiasts, to be used as a museum and training ship. the ship is listed on the Australian register historic vessels. She is currently berthed at the old coal loader wharf in Balls Head Bay, Waverton, Sydney.
Service history
In 1973 MV Cape Don was used to recover two anchors lost by Matthew Flinders when he was charting the coastline in 1803. The anchors from his ship HMS Investigator (1798) were retrieved in waters off Esperance WA.
See also
References
- "MV Cape Don on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels". emuseum.anmm.gov.au. Retrieved 27 June 2011.