Navy's International Fleet Review Will Be Biggest Sydney Party Since 2000 Olympic Games

SYDNEY will welcome more than 40 warships into the harbour and Prince Harry as the city and the Royal Australian Navy celebrate the International Fleet Review.

On Friday, October 4 the entire city will come to a halt as a fleet of 40 warships from 20 different nations enter the harbour.

The current ship to carry the name Sydney, HMAS Sydney (IV), will lead the fleet through the heads.
In addition to the arrival of the ships, Imagination - the team behind the 2011 and 2012 New Year's eve events - will produce the Royal Australian Navy's International Fleet Review Spectacular on October 5.

The event, which is expected to be the biggest public display in Australia since the 2000 Olympics, will feature an extensive array of pyrotechnics, lights and projections that will light up the harbour and seven selected ships.

Heath Campanaro, director of Imagination and project manager, said the 30-minute event would utilise the decks of seven warships and vantage points around the harbour to simulate WWII in Sydney.

A spectacular fireworks show and mock war will light up the harbour.

"There will be 28 lighting positions in the city as well as seven warships on the harbour and we will have projections, a soundtrack and plenty of pyrotechnics," he said.

"The pyrotechnics are going to be the biggest thing of all and we have again asked Foti Fireworks to be involved because we have a great relationship with those guys."

Mr Campanaro said the Royal Australian Navy's International Fleet Review Spectacular would be unlike anything Sydney had ever experienced before.

"There are going to be so many layers happening at the same time when we put this on," he said.

Warships will be used to mount an amazing harbour light show.

"We are creating scenes that replicate WWII where we will feel like Sydney is under attack. We will have choppers flying over and sailors will be doing activities on deck. There will be lots of lighting, lots of action and the whole thing will be amazing."

* For more information on the International Fleet Review, visit: navy.gov.au/ifr

NNS Thunder Heads To Australia For International Fleet Review

Nigeria’s NNS Thunder has left the city of Calabar to represent Africa for the Royal Australian Navy’s International Fleet Review (IFR) slated for 3rd to the 11th of October this year in Sydney, Australia.

Joining about  Fifty other countries of the world including Russia and America and South Africa being the second African country to represent the continent, the international event is to be reviewed by the queen of England to mark the 200 years battle of Trafalgar.

The Flag officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command Rear Admiral Joe Aikhomu disclosed this at the Nigerian Port Authority NPA jetty in Calabar, Cross River State Capital been venue for the take-off point of the NNS thunder ship conveying forty officers and 140 ratings of Nigerian Navy participating.

According to the Rear Admiral the voyage to Sidney is a friendly and diplomatic expedition urging the crew to see the mission as a training program meant to enhance the Navy’s proficiency.

NNS THUNDER will be making outbound port calls at Luanda, Cape Town, Port Louis, Freemantle and Sydney and on the in-bound leg visit Melbourne, Albany, Port Des Galet, Durban, Walvis Bay and Pointe Noire.

The officers on board are expected to be back to the country within the next four to five months.

About International Fleet Review Sydney - 2013

In late 2011, the Chief of Navy (CN) - Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, AO, CSC, RAN extended an invitation to over 50 nations to send a warship and/or tall ship to participate in an International Fleet Review (IFR) to be held in Sydney from 3 - 11 October 2013. The Review is being held to commemorate the centenary of the first entry of the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet into Sydney.

On 4 October 1913 the flagship, HMAS Australia, led the new Australian Fleet Unit comprising HMA Ships Melbourne, Sydney, Encounter, Warrego, Parramatta and Yarra into Sydney Harbour for the first time to be greeted by thousands of cheering citizens lining the foreshore. This was a moment of great national pride and importance, one recognised as a key indicator of Australia's progress towards national maturity.

The IFR is a high profile international event and Navy's signature commemorative event for 2013. Planned in partnership with the NSW State Government and the City of Sydney, it is anticipated that approximately 40 warships and 20 tall ships will participate in this historic event. The RAN Sea Power Conference 2013 and Pacific 2013 International Maritime Congress and Exposition, are also scheduled to take place at Darling Harbour from 7 October 2013 to coincide with the IFR.


The current plan will see RAN and visiting warships rendezvousing in Jervis Bay, NSW on 1 October 2013 to conduct final preparations and briefings. The formal aspects of the IFR will commence with all tall ships entering Sydney Harbour on Thursday 3 October 2013 and all warships entering on Friday 4 October 2013 - exactly 100 years after the first RAN Fleet entry.

To mark this historic occasion, the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, her Excellency, the Hon Ms Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO will welcome the Fleet from Bradley’s Head on 4 October, and officially review the fleet onboard HMAS Leeuwin on Saturday, 5 October, as part of the Ceremonial Fleet Review. The Review will include a moving line of seven RAN ships to further symbolise the 1913 entry. 

The day's events are also likely to feature formation fly-pasts by fixed and rotary wing aircraft, naval displays and demonstrations, naval gun salutes and naval band performances, and will culminate in a spectacular evening pyrotechnics and light show on the harbour.

Other activities being planned to occur during the week long celebrations, include a combined naval march through the Sydney CBD, ships open to the public, inter-navy sporting competitions, naval memorial and religious services, and a range of community and cultural events.

The tall ships will depart on Thursday 10 October 2013 followed by the fleet departing on Friday 11 October 2013 to participate in Exercise TRITON CENTENARY in the East Australian Exercise Areas (EAXA).

The IFR is planned to be similar in scale and public impact to that experienced during the RAN 75th Anniversary in 1986 and the Bicentennial Naval Salute in 1988.


The full program of IFR planned events can be found on our Events page.

International Fleet Review - Sydney Australia 3-11 October 2013

Don't Miss the Nation's Most Significant Commemorative Naval Event in the Past 100 Years

International Fleet Review - Sydney 2013

Australian Navy: International Fleet Review 2013 Sydney

The Royal Australian Navy is celebrating 100 years since the first RAN ships sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1913. Ships from more 20 nations comprising around 40 warships and 17 tall ships, plus 8000 naval personnel will help celebrate Navy’s historic event between 3 -11 October 2013.

More than 20 nations have confirmed participation by either a warship or tall ship including: Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Micronesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Tonga, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Australian and foreign warships plus the tall ships will be open at these events for what is a rare opportunity for the public to go on board some ships.

The flagship HMAS Australia will lead the new Australian Fleet of seven cruisers and destroyers (HMA Ships Melbourne, Sydney, Encounter, Warrego, Parramatta and Yarra) into Sydney Harbour for the first time.

The program will include: a tall ships parade; warships arrival; ceremonial fleet review; naval gun salutes; fixed wing and helicopter flypasts; aerial acrobatic displays; Sydney Harbour fireworks and light show; ships open to visitors; combined naval march through the streets of Sydney; military band concerts; Freedom of Entry parades in Parramatta and Mosman; religious and memorial services; and sporting competitions. Military and historic aircraft will also feature prominently during the Review with more than 30 RAN and visiting navy helicopters and fixed wing aircraft taking part.

UPDATE: The United States Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65) and the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Qingdao, a Luhu-class guided missile destroyer from China have confirmed their attendance taking the total number of visiting warships to 23. With the combined might of the Royal Australian Navy's ships and the tall ships there will be a fleet of 60 ships arriving in Sydney Harbour for the event. During Open Days on 6 and 7 October 2013 members of the public will have the opportunity to visit both warships and tall ships at Garden Island, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour. 

More event information is available on the International Fleet Review 2013 website and their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IFR2013

• Date: 3 October 2013 - 11 October 2013
• Time: Refer to the Schedule of Events below
• Where: Various locations around Sydney, NSW. See below for details
• Website: http://www.navy.gov.au/ifr/
• Cost: Free

Schedule of Events

Note: The following program is subject to change.

1 October 2013

• 1200-1600 Warships enter Jervis Bay.

2 October 2013

• 1830-2030 Welcome Reception hosted by Chief of Navy. Location: Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell (Invited Guests).

3 October 2013

• 1100 Tall ships entry. Location: Sydney Harbour.
• 0730 Warships depart Jarvis Bay for passage to Sydney.
• 1830 Tall ships welcome reception. Location: Australian National Maritime Museum (Invited Guests).

4 October 2013

• 0600-1600 Warships enter Sydney Harbour
• 1000 Ceremonial Fleet Entry and 21 Gun Salute. HMA Ships Sydney, Darwin, Perth, Parramatta, Bundaberg, Diamantina and Yarra. Location: Sydney Harbour.
• 1100-1600 Australian Surf Rowers Reception. Location: Sydney Opera House.
• 1830-2030 Visiting Ships Welcome Reception. Location: Garden Island (Invited Guests).

5 October 2013

• Dress ship. Location: Sydney Harbour.
• 1100-1430 Ceremonial Fleet Review. Location: Sydney Harbour.
• 1130-1200 Formation flypast by rotary and fixed winged aircraft. Location: Sydney Harbour.
• 1400-1900 Military demonstrations and Naval band performances.
• 1800-2030 Combined IFR Official Reception. Location: Sydney Opera House Forecourt (Invited Guests).
• 1930-2000 Pyrotechnics and Lightshow. Location: Sydney Harbour.

6 October 2013

• 1000-1130 HMAS Sydney Memorial Service. Location: Naval Memorial, Bradley's Head.
• 1300-1800 Tall ships open to the general public. Location: Cockle Bay/Darling Harbour (TBC).
• 1300-1800 Warships Open Day. Location: Fleet Base East, Garden Island/Barangaroo.
• 1400-1530 Ecumenical Service. Location: St Mary's Cathedral.

7 October 2013

• 0730-1015 Opening of Sea Power Conference 2013 and Pacific 2013 International Maritime Exposition. Location: Sydney Conference and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.
• Royal Australian Navy Band recitals.
• 0800-1800 Warships Open Day. Location: Fleet Base East, Garden Island/Barangaroo.
• 0800-1800 Tall ships open to the general public. Location: Cockle Bay/Darling Harbour (TBC).

8 October 2013

• 0800-1700 Sea Power Conference 2013 and Pacific 2013 International Maritime Exposition continue. Location: Sydney Conference and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour
• Royal Australian Navy Band recitals.
• 1000-1500 Combined Navies Golf Competition. Location: The Coast Golf Club.
• 1230-1400 HMAS Penguin Freedom of Entry to Mosman. Location: Mosman Central Business District.
• 1230-1400 Navy Memorial Service. Location: Cenotaph, Martin Place.
• 1300-1430 HMAS Parramatta Freedom of Entry to Parramatta. Location: Parramatta Central Business District.
• 1830-2030 Vice Regal Reception. Location: Government House, Botanic Gardens (Invited Guests).

9 October 2013

• 1030-1100 Sea Power Conference 2013 Closing Ceremony. Location: Sydney Conference and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.
• 1230-1430 Combined Navies Parade. Location: George Street - The Rocks to Town Hall.
• 1430-1630 Lord Mayor's Reception. Location: Sydney Town Hall (Invited Guests).
• 1400-1630 Pacific 2013 IFR Ships Companies Lunch. Location: Sydney Conference and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.
• Closing of Pacific 2013 International Maritime Exposition. Location: Sydney Conference and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.
• 1500-1730 Twilight sailing with RAN Sailing Association. Location: Sydney Harbour.

10 October 2013

• 1100 Tall ships depart. Location: Sydney Harbour.
• 1000-1500 Combined Navies Sporting Competition. Location: Randwick Barracks/Macquarie Park.

11 October 2013

• Warships depart. Location: Sydney Harbour.

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Each hotel or serviced apartment is close to major train stations, buses or ferries. Because all four hotels are situated in the city, there are plenty of taxis available to catch on the street. Many of the fleet locations can be reached by foot from our hotels. Nearby there are also supermarkets, shops, restaurants, convenience stores, ATMs, medical centres and public toilets all within walking distance.