Sea Patrol
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television drama |
| Founded | 5 July 2007 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Television drama series |
Number of employees | N/A |
Sea Patrol is an Australian drama series broadcast between 2007 and 2011, focusing on the fictional Royal Australian Navy (RAN) patrol vessel HMAS Hammersley and its crew members.
While sharing thematic elements, it is not a sequel to the 1979 show Patrol Boat. During its second season, the series updated the ship from an older model to a more modern patrol boat.
The series debuted on 5 July 2007 on the Nine Network, which allocated $15 million for its production. The follow-up season, named Sea Patrol II: The Coup, aired in 2008; the third installment, Sea Patrol: Red Gold, was released in 2009. Season four, broadcast in 2010, expanded to 16 episodes and departed from the serialized narrative approach used previously.
The concluding fifth season, titled "Damage Control," premiered in 2011 with a total of 13 episodes. The Nine Network discontinued the show after government rebate incentives expired following 65 episodes, wrapping up with an overall count of 68 episodes.
Premise
Throughout all seasons, Sea Patrol presents self-contained episodes tackling significant violations of Australian law, such as illegal fishing activities, asylum seeker issues, and other operational challenges encountered by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during its missions. Typically, each season's opening episode introduces a central plotline that unfolds across the season and culminates in the finale; this format was excepted in season four, which did not feature an overarching storyline.
The inaugural season began with the enigmatic Bright Island and involved the death of a marine biologist, uncovering a conspiracy linked to contaminated water.
The second season, called Sea Patrol II: The Coup, revolved around rebel forces attempting to topple the government of the fictional Samaru Islands, alongside Eastern European mercenaries engaged in violent conflicts with the crew.
The third season, titled Sea Patrol III: Red Gold, focused on solving the death of Josh "ET" Holiday, a vital crew member and fiancé to Nicole "Nikki" Caetano.
In the fourth season, Sea Patrol IV: The Right Stuff, most main cast members returned except for Pete "Buffer" Tomaszewski, Nikki Caetano, Billy "Spider" Webb, and Commander Steven 'Steve' Marshall.
The final season, Sea Patrol V: Damage Control, opened with an incident involving a suicide bombing at an overseas bar.
Main cast
| Actor | Character | Rank | Position | Duration | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ian Stenlake | Mike "CO" Flynn, CSC, RAN | Lieutenant Commander | Commanding officer | Seasons 1–3 | 001–068 |
| Commander | Seasons 4–5 | ||||
| Lisa McCune | Kate "XO" McGregor, RAN | Lieutenant | Executive Officer | Seasons 1–5 | 001–068 |
| John Batchelor | Andy "Charge" Thorpe | Chief Petty Officer | Chief Marine Technician | Seasons 1–5 | 001–068 |
| Matthew Holmes | Chris "Swain" Blake, CV | Petty Officer | Coxswain/Medic | Seasons 1–5 | 001–068 |
| Kristian Schmid | Robert "RO" Dixon | Leading Seaman | Radio Operator | Seasons 1–5 | 001–068 |
| Saskia Burmeister | Nicole (Nikki) "Nav" Caetano, RAN | Lieutenant | Navigator | Seasons 1–3 | 001–039 |
| Jeremy Lindsay Taylor | Pete "Buffer" Tomaszewski | Petty Officer | Boatswain | Seasons 1–3 | 001–039 |
| Jay Ryan | Billy "Spider" Webb | Seaman | Boatswain's Mate | Seasons 1–3 | 001–039 |
| David Lyons | Josh "ET" Holiday | Leading Seaman | Electronics Technician | Seasons 1–3 | 001–027 |
| Josh Lawson | Toby "Chefo" Jones | Able Seaman | Chef/Assistant Medic | Season 1 | 001–013 |
| Kirsty Lee Allan | Rebecca "Bomber" Brown | Able Seaman | Chef/Assistant Medic | Seasons 2–4 | 014–055 |
| Nikolai Nikolaeff | Leo "2Dads" Kosov-Meyer | Leading Seaman | Electronics Technician | Seasons 3–5 | 028–068 |
| Conrad Coleby | Dylan "Dutchy" Mulholland, MG | Petty Officer | Boatswain | Seasons 4–5 | 040–068 |
| Danielle Horvat | Jessica "Gap Girl" Bird | Seaman | Gap Year participant later Chef/Assistant Medic | Seasons 4–5 | 040–068 |
| Dominic Deutscher | Ryan White | Midshipman | Junior Officer | Seasons 4–5 | 053–068 |
Recurring Cast
| Performer | Role | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Sortname | Commander Steven 'Steve' Marshall | Seasons 1–3 |
| Template:Sortname | Dr. Ursula Morrell | Season 1 |
| Goran D. Kleut | Vjek | Season 2 |
| Template:Sortname | Carly Walsman | Season 2 |
| Template:Sortname | Lang Calwell | Season 3 |
| Template:Sortname | Ray Walsman | Season 2 |
| Template:Sortname | Captain Jim Roth, CV | Seasons 2, 5 |
| Tye Harper | Seaman John 'Jaff' Jaffah | Season 1 |
| Eugene Gilfedder | Finn McLean | Season 2 |
| Mirko Grillini | Emile/Malcom 'Mal' Scarpia | Seasons 3, 5 |
| Template:Sortname | Peter | Season 4 |
| Template:Sortname | Steve Coburn | Season 4 |
| Ray Tiernan | Zhenya | Season 2 |
| Template:Sortname | Zan | Season 2 |
| Sean Taylor} | Wessel Berkelman | Season 4 |
| Template:Sortname | Madelaine Cruise | Season 5 |
| Template:Sortname | Richard 'Rick' Gallagher | Season 1 |
| Anthony Edwards | Viktor | Season 2 |
| Template:Sortname | Harry Edwards | Season 4 |
Guest Appearances
| Performer | Role | Appearance Period |
|---|
Background
The opening sequence of each episode in the third season of Sea Patrol features the Royal Australian Navy's core principles: "Honour – Honesty – Courage – Integrity – Loyalty." The show emphasizes the Navy's commitment to gender and cultural inclusivity while tackling themes such as unlawful fishing, immigration challenges, narcotics trafficking, and human smuggling, all woven into a larger narrative mystery.
Vessels
In the initial season, the fictional patrol boat HMAS Hammersley (PTF 202) was represented by two actual Fremantle-class patrol boats: one used during filming in Sydney and another for a six-week shoot near Dunk Island, Queensland. Within the storyline, Hammersley is assigned to the fictional "NAVCOM" command and is retired in the season’s final episode. Another fictional Fremantle-class vessel, HMAS Kingston (PTF 205), appears intermittently and shares its hull number with an actual ship.
During filming for season one, plans anticipated that subsequent seasons would introduce the newer Armidale-class patrol boats. Later seasons feature an Armidale-class vessel named HMAS Hammersley, bearing hull number 82. For the second season, scenes were shot aboard two ships to depict Hammersley: filming occurred over 42 of 86 days on one vessel, supplemented by additional shots on another.
Filming Locations
- Cairns, Queensland
- Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland
- HMAS Waterhen, Royal Australian Navy Base, Sydney, New South Wales
- Dunk Island, Queensland
- Mission Beach, Queensland
- Cowley Beach near Innisfail, Queensland, Queensland
- Tamborine Mountain, Queensland
- Tumbulgum, New South Wales
- HMAS Penguin
Episodes
| Season | Number of Episodes | Original Air Dates | DVD Release Date (Region 4) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | ||||
| 1 | 13 | 5 July 2007 | 4 October 2007 | 17 October 2007 | |
| 2 | 13 | 31 March 2008 | 23 June 2008 | 6 November 2008 | |
| 3 | 13 | 18 May 2009 | 27 July 2009 | 1 October 2009 | |
| 4 | 16 | 15 April 2010 | 29 July 2010 | 19 August 2010 | |
| 5 | 13 | 26 April 2011 | 12 July 2011 | 4 August 2011 | |
Reception
Sea Patrol generated significant anticipation in Australia, featuring an episode production cost surpassing A$1 million—twice the standard budget for Australian television dramas—and marked the television comeback of actress Lisa McCune.
The show received a spectrum of reviews, predominantly positive. The inaugural season attracted an average audience of approximately 1.5 million viewers. Although viewership declined during the early part of the second season, it recovered to comparable figures by the season’s conclusion.
Reviewers such as Marieke Hardy from The Age criticized the series for its weak writing and limited scope for actors to demonstrate their talents. Michelle Over from militarypeople.com.au assigned the debut episode a score of 6.5 out of 10, anticipating a downturn in quality due to issues with scripting and authenticity.
Leveraging the series’ visibility, the Royal Australian Navy introduced "The Real Sea Patrol," an interactive website highlighting naval operations aboard patrol boat , serving dual purposes as a promotional and recruitment platform.
Logie Awards
| Year | Nominee | Award Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Lisa McCune | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Nominated |
| 2008 | Lisa McCune | Most Popular Actress | Nominated |
| 2008 | David Lyons | Most Popular New Male Talent | Nominated |
| 2009 | Kirsty Lee Allan | Most Popular New Female Talent | Nominated |
DVD releases
| Season | Release Date | Number of Episodes | Number of Discs | Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Patrol – The Complete Series 1 | 17 October 2007 | 13 | 4 | Slipcase Packaging |
| Sea Patrol II: The Coup – The Complete Series 2 | 6 November 2008 | 13 | 4 | Slipcase Packaging |
| Sea Patrol III: Red Gold – The Complete Series 3 | 1 October 2009 | 13 | 4 | Slipcase Packaging |
| Sea Patrol IV: The Right Stuff – The Complete Series 4 | 19 August 2010 | 16 | 4 | None |
| Sea Patrol V: Damage Control – The Complete Series 5 | 4 August2011 | 13 | 4 | None |
| Sea Patrol: The Complete Series (Seasons1–5) | 24 November2011 | 68 | 20 | Custom Packaging |
Internet download
Starting in April 2008, complete episodes were made available for free download through ninemsn's catch-up TV service, featuring advertisements and geo-restrictions that limited viewing to within Australia.
The second season became available on the Australian iTunes Store in June 2008. Subsequently, seasons one and two were added to the US streaming service Hulu in 2009 and 2012, respectively, with seasons three through five joining the platform in early 2013.
From 2021 until early 2022, all episodes were accessible for streaming on Nine Now to Australian audiences but were removed by early 2025.
As of 2025, US viewers can watch episodes on platforms such as Tubi, Amazon Prime, YouTube Movies, and Roku Channel; however, these remain region-locked to Australia. Meanwhile, Australian viewers have access to episodes via Apple TV+.
International distribution
In April 2007, Nine Network’s international distribution partner, Portman Film and Television, transferred rights for Sea Patrol across more than 100 territories to Sparrowhawk Media. This agreement facilitated broadcasting of the series on various international Hallmark Channel outlets. Early seasons were aired in 61 countries including the UK, Serbia, Belgium, Indonesia, India, Russia, Italy, South Africa, Mexico, Vietnam, and Palau. In Germany, the show was broadcast on Das Vierte starting in 2011 and later moved to Ebru TV from 2014 onward.
In 2007, NBC Universal Global Networks acquired Sparrowhawk and subsequently purchased season three of Sea Patrol from Digital Rights Group—a Portman subsidiary—in 2008. Despite NBC Universal being a US-based company, the series had not been aired domestically by 2009; instead, US audiences accessed Sea Patrol via Hulu and Roku Channel through Digital Rights Group.
International markets
| Language | Market | Title | Seasons | Channels | Airdates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in English) | Canada | "Sea Patrol" | Showcase | |||
| (in French) | Canada | "Patrouille des Mers" | Séries+ | |||
| (in English) | United Kingdom | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | Universal Channel (UK and Ireland) | ||
| (in Italian) | Italy | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | Rai 2 | 9 August 2010 – 3 November 2012 | |
| (German) | Germany | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | Das Vierte | 6 July 2011 – 22 February 2012 | |
| (in English) | New Zealand | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | Prime | ||
| (in French) | Switzerland | "Patrouille des Mers" | 1–3 | RTS 1 (Swiss TV channel) | ||
| (in Italian) | Switzerland | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | RSI La 1 | ||
| (in English) | United States | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | Hulu, Roku Channel, Tubi TV | ||
| (Spanish) | United States | "Patrulla en Altamar" | V-me | |||
| (in English) | Belgium | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | één | ||
| (in French) | Belgium | "Sea Patrol, Patrouille des mers" | 1–5 | RTBF | 2013 | |
| (Spanish) | Spain | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | LaSexta | 2013 | Multicast in English |
| (in English) | The Netherlands | "Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | 13th Street, Hallmark Channel | ||
| (Ukrainian) | Ukraine | "Морський патруль, Sea Patrol" | 1–5 | NTN | ||
| (in English) | Norway | "Kystvakta" | 1–3 | NRK | 2014–2015 | |
| (in English) | Denmark | "Kystvagten" | 1–3 | DR1 | 2014–2015 |
External links
- Sea Patrol featured on the Australian Television Information Archive
- Official website
- Sea Patrol listing on IMDb
- Sea Patrol – "Cometh the Hour" available at Australian Screen Online
- Articles with short description
- Articles with French-language sources (fr)
- Articles with Italian-language sources (it)
- Sea Patrol
- Nine Network original programming
- 2000s Australian drama television series
- Australian military television series
- Nautical television series
- Television shows set in Queensland
- Television shows set in New South Wales
- 2007 Australian television series debuts
- 2011 Australian television series endings
- Australian English-language television shows