Navy warship Newcastle returns home

Australian warship HMAS Newcastle is due to return home after a successful mission that resulted in the seizure of hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs.

About 230 defence personnel on board the Royal Australian Navy frigate will be reunited with family and friends at its Sydney home port in Woolloomooloo on Sunday morning.

While patrolling seas in the Middle East, HMAS Newcastle seized drugs in multiple operations including one that netted 724 kilograms of narcotics and another that pulled in 581kg of heroin.

Newcastle's total drug haul over its six-month mission was more than 1.3 tonnes, worth more than $1 billion.

HMAS Melbourne has left for the Middle East to relieve Newcastle.