Navy 125 – Commemorating 125 Years of Australia’s Navy

This year marks 125 years since the establishment of the Commonwealth Naval Forces that later became the Royal Australian Navy. To celebrate this significant anniversary the Museum will open a new exhibition exploring how the Navy has grown alongside Australia—from colonial defence to a modern maritime force.

Presented as a temporary display in the Navy Gallery, the exhibition brings together portrait photography, significant objects from the national collection, a graphic timeline and a major First Nations artwork. Together, they tell stories of service, courage, innovation and care at sea and on shore.

At its heart are the people of the Navy—past and present—whose experiences reveal a force shaped by war and peace, humanitarian response and cultural change. Central to the exhibition is Spirit of Sea Rights by Djambawa Marawili AM, acknowledging more than 60,000 years of First Nations maritime stewardship and a shared responsibility for Australia’s oceans.