More than 70 people attended the function held at Longreach on the banks of the Shoalhaven River, including Australia's oldest VC recipient Keith Payne.

The aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and the destroyer HMAS Voyager collided during night flying operations 20 nautical miles (37 kilometres) off Point Perpendicular on February 10, 1964.

Of the 314 aboard Voyager, 82 were killed.

Also present for the service was Australia's last living recipient of the George Cross recipient Michael Pratt and locals with links with Victoria Cross recipients, Doug Ratty (great nephew of Reg Ratty VC), Ken Jacka (relative of Australia's first Victoria Cross recipient in World War I Captain Albert Jacka) and Neil and Janine Lord (relatives of New Zealand VC, Sergeant Reginald Judson).

There was also a large contingent of local guests, including HMAS Albatross Commanding Officer Captain Robyn Phillips and Chaplain Jenny Schleusener, along with a number of interstate visitors and local veterans.

Several KPVCVBG members who were onboard HMAS Melbourne at the time of the collision were present and talked about the distant memory which still haunts many of these sailors.

The Soldier On group, Nowra Veterans Well Being Centre and Fleet Air Arm Association were also represented at the service.

Chairman of the Keith Payne VC Veterans Benefit Group, Rick Meehan said it was an "absolute honour" to be able to host the commemorative service.

"Of course in no way are we trying to take anything away from the official commemoration which is held each year at Voyager Park at Huskisson, hosted by the HMAS Voyager Survivors Association, but we have a number of members who have associations with Voyager," he said.

"And we just see this as our way of honoring those 82 men who perished in this disaster off Jervis Bay."

Numerous wreaths were laid in honour of the lives lost on that fateful night 58 years ago.

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