Solving Australia’s most enduring maritime tragedy.

The Client

HMAS Sydney Search Pty Ltd (Sydney Search) as Trustee for the Finding Sydney Foundation (FSF), is a not for profit organisation, formed in July 2001. The objectives of the Finding Sydney Foundation were to find the wreck of HMAS Sydney and to finally commemorate its missing crew, allowing closure to the families of those lost. These activities represent ‘unfinished business’ and are of special significance to Australia. The search commenced Friday 29th February 2008, covering an area of approximately 1,800 sq nautical miles in deep water offshore from Carnarvon and Western Australia’s Coral Coast. The HMAS Sydney II was found by the Finding Sydney Foundation on Sunday 16th March 2008.

Project

The Search for the HMAS Sydney II  was no simple task, and Glenfield was contracted to supply ICT Project Management as well as playing a pivotal role in web developing and designing the Search Website, Virtual Press Room and Virtual Memorial.

During the search the project received worldwide attention; the websites have recorded some 73+ million hits, with some 60,000 journalists visiting the online Press Room for information.

Another key aspect undertaken was the removal of footage and photography from the search vessel, and archiving for the Commonwealth and subsequent HMAS Sydney II  Commission of Inquiry. Glenfield continues to take an active role in commemorating the crew through a virtual memorial and working closely with the Naval Association of Australia.

Outcomes

• Assisted with fund raising activities to allow the search to commence.
• Successfully provided at short notice ICT services in finding the HMAS Sydney II, publishing a website and other related materials to a global audience.
• Managed the extraction and cataloguing of the ROV footage and photography on the vessel, and helped present this to the inquiry.
• Designed and coded a virtual memorial to commemorate the crew, and researched and collated information from relatives and archives to give an enduring record.
• Liaised with 60,000 journalists through a registration media room, saving the foundation on hire of a PR company during the search and subsequent find.
• Managed hosted infrastructure to take on substantial loads due to website trending globally, with no downtime.
• Provided marketing collateral around the search and HMAS Sydney II for the the media and general public, to better convey the search.
• Edited video footage for distribution to varied outlets to ensure the story was widely known.
• Helped collate varied reports to ensure compliance was met.

“Glenfield made an outstanding contribution as a supporter of the Finding Sydney Foundation, which resulted in the successful culmination of the Search for HMAS Sydney II, bringing great relief and closure for the relatives”.

 Naval Association of Australia.