Joseph Cook became Australia's sixth Prime Minister in 1913. Before that, he established the Royal Australian Navy when he was Defence Minister.

The HMAS Yarra was a torpedo boat destroyer and one of the first ships to form part of the new naval fleet in 1910. As is tradition, the commissioning of these ships involved the ringing of a bell and this is the bell from HMAS Yarra.

One of Cook's last acts as Prime Minister was to commit the Royal Australian Navy to joining Britain in the First World War.

Joseph Cook (1860–1947) was Prime Minister of Australia from June 1913 to September 1914. The Yarra Bell is held at the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre in Sydney.

The Prime Ministers' National Treasures is also available for purchase from the NFSA Online Shop.