By Brett Dowsing, Commodore, RAN ret’d
My involvement in the counter-terrorist task initially commenced from mid-1981 to mid 1982 as Commanding Officer of HMAS Buccaneer, an Attack Class patrol boat, which conducted Bass Strait Oil Rig Surveillance patrols (BSORS) of the newly instituted Restricted Zone around the Bass Strait oil-rigs. We were based in Sydney (HMAS Waterhen) and would sail to be on patrol for three weeks largely to ensure that civilian shipping would not sail through the designated area, which was the shortest route between Sydney and Melbourne and to the west.
