Navigator steers home latest patrol ship in centuries-old ceremony
Katie Webb skippered her dad's fishing boat from age 12, and now returns to Port Lincoln as the navigator on the newly commissioned HMAS Eyre.
Port Lincoln residents gathered along the waterfront to witness a ceremonial freedom of entry parade for HMAS Eyre, a new patrol ship in service with the Royal Australian Navy. The ship's navigator, Lieutenant Katie Webb, a Port Lincoln native, led the procession, marking a nostalgic moment for the 10-year navy veteran who once skippered a fishing vessel off Coffin Bay.
The ship's duties will primarily involve collaboration with Border Force, federal police, and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, tasked with safeguarding national fish stocks and protecting the marine environment.
The 80-metre Arafura patrol ship, constructed in South Australia, was named after Eyre Peninsula and explorer Edward John Eyre. Its crew has adopted the southern bluefin tuna as its logo, symbolizing speed, strength, and endurance. Port Lincoln Mayor Diana Mislov highlighted the significance of the occasion, emphasizing the strong relationship between the Royal Australian Navy and the community.
The centuries-old tradition of freedom of entry, dating back to the 1200s, involved a unit marching through a city, with the city granting trust and privilege for the unit to proceed through. Port Lincoln's Mayor Mislov presented Lieutenant Commander Amy Brauns, HMAS Eyre's commanding officer, with an ornate scroll authorizing the freedom of entry, which was then paraded along Tasman Terrace with the unit armed with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, colors flying, drums beating, and a band playing.
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