AS the Australian white ensign was lowered at the stern of HMAS Newcastle for the final time and the flag was handed to the ship's commanding officer, Anita Sellick, her face gave nothing away.
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But Commander Sellick, the ship's 16th commanding officer and a Novocastrian, was thinking about the finality of the moment.
"There's a lot of memories that come flooding back about your time in command," she said. "You also think about all the other things the ship has done over its life as well, to all lead up to that moment when the ensign comes down."
After more than 25 years' service in the Royal Australian Navy, participating in operations in East Timor, Solomon Islands and the Middle East, HMAS Newcastle was officially decommissioned at Fleet Base East at Sydney's Garden Island on Sunday.
Hundreds attended the decommissioning ceremony. In the audience were 12 former commanding officers of the ship, and members of the original crew, who vividly remembered the first entry into the port of Newcastle in 1993.
"It was the first time I'd ever entered a port and got tingles," recalled Chief Petty Officer Gary Swanton, who had travelled from Melbourne to be with former shipmates for the ceremony.
"You were creating history, because it was the first RAN ship to be named after a non-capital city, and that history ends today, I guess."
In her address, the Governor of NSW, Margaret Beazley, told the audience, "HMAS Newcastle leaves us today. It carries with it the pride of all those who have served on it."
The audience heard how the pride extended beyond the ship to the city whose name it carried.
"Few will dispute the bond between our namesake city and our ship is second to none," Commander Sellick told the gathering. The ship's final CO also thanked and acknowledged the ship's "launching lady", Margaret McNaughton.
The former Lady Mayoress and her husband, John McNaughton, who was Newcastle's Lord Mayor when the frigate was commissioned, were sitting in the front row.
"Margaret is a tremendous advocate for her ship, as she has affectionately called Newcastle," Commander Sellick said.
Just before the ceremony, Margaret McNaughton said she felt excited "but overwhelmed with sadness" at saying goodbye to "our" ship.
"It belongs to the city, so I'm sharing," Mrs McNaughton said.
Among the 210 officers and crew who marched off the ship for the final time were 21 who were from Newcastle and the lower Hunter.
"It's very special and saddening, seeing the Newcastle family depart from one another," said Lieutenant Timothy Milas, whose parents, Peter and Sheree, had driven from Beresfield to watch their son.
Able Seaman Georgia Clark, from Pokolbin, said she enlisted at the Defence Force recruiting office in Hunter Street. And now she had served on Newcastle, walking along the ship's main passageway called Hunter Street.
"It's a weird feeling, I'm not going to serve on another Newcastle, I don't imagine," Able Seaman Clark said.
One of the ship's senior officers, Lieutenant Commander Paul Fairhall, is preparing to follow Newcastle into retirement.
Originally from Heddon Greta, Lieutenant Commander Fairhall has been in the navy for almost 41 years.
"Of all the ships I could have come to for my last posting, to be on Newcastle means more than anything else," he said.
After Commander Sellick handed the folded flag to Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead, he declared the ensign would be kept in "safe keeping, until the commissioning of the next ship that bears the name Newcastle".
President of the City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch, Ken Fayle, who attended the ceremony, said he hoped another navy ship would be named after the city, to re-establish the connection.
"It's nice to have this last connection with this ship," Mr Fayle said.
As for this ship, it is expected to be sold to another navy. But on this day, few were looking ahead. All were honouring what had been with HMAS Newcastle.
At the ceremonial cutting of the decommissioning cake, Margaret McNaughton thanked her "family", referring to all those who had served on Newcastle.
"You are my family, and you are all Novocastrians," she said. "We are so very, very proud of you all."