As Sumatra fell and Java became the next invasion target "Bendigo", "Ballarat", "Burnie" and "Maryborough" on 22 February replaced coal burning British auxiliaries of the joint Dutch and British Sunda Strait Patrol, an effort to prevent Japanese infiltration of Java by use of small craft. By the 28th, the base they were using for the patrols was untenable, the ships were short of fuel and they were to replenish at Tjilatjap but "Bendigo", along with "Burnie", were ordered to fall back to pick up survivors seen signalling from the beach at Java Head. The ships that had gone ahead were ordered back to the Sunda Strait but "Bendigo" with fifteen and "Burnie" with twenty-nine survivors aboard were directed to now head for Tjilatjap. In the meantime the Battle of the Java Sea on the 27th and Battle of Sunda Strait, taking place on the night of these events, had sealed the fate of Java and the short lived American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA).