After conducting trials off the Australian east coast she proceeded to New Guinea to undertake convoy escort duties.

Hawkesbury began her second operational deployment in January 1945, and conducted escort duties in New Guinea and Philippine waters until mid-April.

After another period of escort duties, Hawkesbury took part in the Australian Brunei Bay landings in Borneo in June.

In July she spent a period collecting intelligence in the Maluku Islands and established lighthouses with HMAS Cape Leeuwin to open a route between Darwin and Morotai.

From late July she conducted operations in support of the British atomic bomb test in the Montebello Islands off Western Australia.