On the evening of February 10, 1964, the worst peacetime disaster in Australian maritime history unfolded off the New South Wales south coast.

During a naval training exercise HMAS Melbourne, an aircraft carrier, collided with the destroyer HMAS Voyager, shearing the much smaller vessel in half and killing 82 of the Voyager's crew.

Take a look at how the story unfolded at the time.

'Naval ships collide: Voyager sunk'

Within hours, the Voyager had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, as officials launched frantic efforts to rescue the crew.

The Canberra times was the first the report the scale of the disaster, and took a lead role in covering the story. ( National Library of Australia/The Canberra Times )

Panic-stricken families clamour for news of loved ones

As news of the disaster spread families rushed to Garden Island in Sydney, where HMAS Melbourne limped into port carrying the sailors that had been rescued from the Voyager.

The front cover of the February 26 Women's Weekly marks the Voyager disaster. ( National Library of Australia/Women'sWeekly )

The February 26 issue of the Australian Women's Weekly recounted the anxious wait for survivors from the families. ( National Library of Australia/Australian Women's Weekly )

Sailor stays behind to save lives

One of the stories to emerge from the sinking was that of Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers, who was awarded the George Cross for fighting to save as many people on board after realising he was probably too large to fit through the escape hatch.

Article recounts the George Cross given to Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers, who stayed behind in the Voyager sinking. ( National Library of Australia/Australian War Memorial )

Survivors told to move on

Beyond a week's leave, there was no counselling or support for the emotional damage the ordeal inflicted on survivors.

The sons of Voyager sinking victim Able Seaman RW Parker salute as their father's body is taken out for a burial at sea. ( Australian National Archive/The Canberra Times )

Cause remains a mystery

Attempts to find out how exactly the accident happened would result in two royal commissions, neither of which was able to fully explain the accident.

The commissions were marked by cover-ups claims, but much of the blame fell on the captain of the Voyager Duncan Stevens, who died in the accident.