Just as Matthew Flinders circumnavigated the Australian continent in the little Investigator, the Chinese Navy have taken an interest in doing the round trip with an added bit of recreational gunfire to break the boredom.

The trouble was, the late and inadequate warning caused several trans-tasman flights to suddenly veer off their regular flight path to ensure safety of aircraft and passengers.

And will the Chinese be taking a close look at the USS Minnesota currently basking in Fremantle harbour on the way past…?

Image: Image: Shutterstock – Oliver Spiteri

Produced By: Roderick Chambers

Featured In Story: Dr Dominic Meagher, Deputy Director of the John Curtain Research Centre

First aired on The Wire, Friday 28 February 2025