In the evening of 20 November 1940, while en route from Queenscliff to Portsea in Port Phillip Bay where she intended to anchor for the evening, she collided with the 10,364 ton, outward bound passenger liner, MV Duntroon, which struck her amidships on the port side. Duntroon’s captain had believed that she was on a parallel course to Goorangai and overtaking her. By the time he realised Goorangai’s true course, with Duntroon travelling at more than 17 knots, it was too late to avoid the collision. Goorangai was cut in two and sank in less than a minute with the loss of her entire crew of 24. Just six bodies were recovered in subsequent salvage operations. She was the first ship lost by the RAN in World War II.

This event is still remembered by the community at an annual ceremony in Queenscliffe. The hat band holds Victorian Heritage Register number S294 / 151982

A hat band of Signalman Jack Herbert RAN mounted on a display board containing a copy of a signed photograph of the HMAS Goorangai ships company and an extract of his service record.

hmas goorangai, mv duntroon, wwii, royal australian navy, port phillip