"Tarakan" was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce during 1999 and 2000. She was attached to INTERFET on two occasions; 30 October to 8 December 1999, and 13 January to 16 February 2000. Following an overhaul of the RAN battle honours system, concluded in March 2010, "Tarakan" was awarded the honour "East Timor 1999–2000" for these deployments. "Tarakan" and sister ship "Balikpapan" returned to East Timor in May 2006 as part of Operation Astute. Tarakan also deployed numerous times in support of Operation Bel Isi II (Peace Monitoring Group on Bougainville) and Operation Anode (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands).