"Burnie" was initially assigned to the 20th Minesweeping Flotilla, which she joined on 10 May 1941. The ship was then temporarily based at Fremantle, Western Australia as a patrol ship and convoy escort, then was sent to Sydney. In June, "Burnie" and sister ship "Goulburn" were assigned to the Royal Navy's China Force, and sailed to Singapore via the east coast of Australia, arriving on 12 July. There Burnie with , and composed the 21st Minesweeping Flotilla assigned to minesweeping, patrol and escort duties. "Burnie" was present in Singapore when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and invaded Malaya.