She entered service in 1885 and after Federation was transferred to the Commonwealth Naval Forces, serving as a training vessel until she was paid off in 1910.

[2] The ship was built to a standard design; TB 191 of Tasmania and the New Zealand Defender-class torpedo boats were identical.

[1] She was subsequently based at facilities constructed at the bottom of the cliffs of the western side of Kangaroo Point, on the Brisbane River.

Following Federation in 1901, Mosquito was transferred to the new Commonwealth Naval Forces and was employed as a training vessel until she was paid off in 1910.

[2] Parts of her hull were discovered in January 1966 and an archaeological survey of the remains was conducted in 2009; the stern casemate was recovered and is in the collection of the Queensland Museum.