HMNZS Canterbury, the last steam powered Leander Class frigate in the Royal New Zealand Navy, will decommission in Auckland on 31 March 2005 after 33 years operational service.
Under the command of Commander Peter Kempster, the crew of 247 officers and ratings onboard the frigate will return to her home port areas of Timaru, Akaroa and Lyttelton/Christchurch from 11 - 21 March for her final farewell tour.
Special events planned to celebrate and farewell Canterbury include charter parades, sports tournaments, formal Beat Retreat ceremonies, local school visits and addresses, overnight sailings for special guests, Navy Band and ship’s Maori Culture Group performances, community work and Navy Sea Sprite helicopter displays. One of the highlights will be the ship open days, which provide a final opportunity for the public to visit and farewell the ship. A reunion of former Canterbury crew members will take place in March.