HMAS Kuttabul (naval base)

HMAS Kuttabul
Fleet Base East, Sydney, New South Wales
Fleet Base East
File:HMAS Kuttabul.png Crest of HMAS Kuttabul
Type	Naval base
Site information
Controlled by	Royal Navy (1856-1911) Royal Australian Navy (1911-1967) Royal Australian Navy (1967-Present)
Site history
Built	1856
In use	1856-present
Battles/wars	Attack on Sydney Harbour
Garrison information
Past commanders	Commander Todd Wilson, RAN

HMAS Kuttabul is the Royal Australian Navy's primary naval base {Fleet Base East} on the east coast of Australia. It is located on Garden Island in Sydney, New South Wales. The administrative, training and logistics support centre is situated south of Garden Island in the suburb of Potts Point.

The base is named for the steam ferry HMAS Kuttabul that was sunk while docked at Garden Island during the Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour in 1942.

History

Garden Island itself has been host to a naval base since 1856, when the government of New South Wales suggested giving the area over to the Royal Navy as a base for ships serving on the Australia Station. Following the foundation of the Royal Australian Navy in 1911, all naval establishments were given over by the UK to the RAN. However, until 1939, the ownership of Garden Island itself was in dispute, with NSW claiming it as its property. This was solved when the Australian government initially requisitioned the island (together with the naval base) under emergency wartime powers. The government then purchased Garden Island from NSW for £638,000 in 1945.

The Garden Island facility houses the Captain Cook Graving Dock, the largest graving dock in the Southern Hemisphere.^{[citation needed]} The dock was constructed between 1940 and 1945, by filling in the area between Garden Island and Potts Point. The dock and associated dockyard are operated under lease by Thales Australia. The northern tip of Garden Island is as of 2008 open to the public, accessible only by ferry. The area features the Navy Heritage Centre, opened in 2004, and graffiti dating to the First Fleet in 1788.

From its foundation until the establishment of the Two Ocean Policy and commissioning of HMAS Stirling in 1978, Kuttabul was the RAN's main naval base. With the establishment of two main bases, Kuttabul and Garden Island took on the additional designation of Fleet Base East.

Ships Stationed

HMAS Tobruk alongside at Fleet Base East in 2013

RSS Endeavour visiting Garden Island during the International Fleet Review 2013

Captain Cook Dock, Garden Island

Although Kuttabul is the main administrative part of Fleet Base East, Fleet Base East is also responsible for the Mine Counter Measures forces of the RAN stationed on the east coast. These are based at HMAS Waterhen.

Anzac class frigate

• HMAS Anzac
• HMAS Parramatta
• HMAS Ballarat

Adelaide class frigate

• HMAS Sydney
• HMAS Darwin
• HMAS Melbourne
• HMAS Newcastle

Huon class minehunters (at Waterhen)

• HMAS Huon
• HMAS Hawkesbury
• HMAS Norman
• HMAS Gascoyne
• HMAS Diamantina
• HMAS Yarra

Amphibious

• HMAS Tobruk
• HMAS Choules
• ADV Ocean Shield

Replenishment

• HMAS Success

Sail Training (at Waterhen)

• STS Young Endeavour

Heritage Items
Date	Description	Details
1945	Captain Cook Dock	Constructed between 1941–45 and opened 24 March 1945 as the largest Graving Dock in southern hemisphere. 1,139 feet long, 45 feet deep.
1888	Royal Navy/Royal Marine Barracks	Northern & southern balconies added in 1892
1888	Kitchens/Laundry	Meals were prepared in kitchens and taken into Barracks for eating
	Detention Quarters	Cell door bolted to wall behind Barracks. The only relic remaining of Detention Quarters
1942	Tanks/air raid shelter	Underground water tanks for kitchens made into air raid shelters for 100 people
1928	Lubricating Oil Store	Modernised and lift added in 1984 to become Dockyard Supply Centre
1893	Sheerlegs Crane	Constructed by Easton & Anderson, then the largest crane in the world. Design Load 160T and Test loaded to 200T. Removed in 1940
1951	Hammerhead Crane	One of only 15 still standing around the world, the crane has not been used since 1996. Department of Defence has announced removal.
1788	Original Gardens	Gardens were first started on 11 February 1788 for crew of HMS Sirius and used by various ships till 1806. Hence the name Garden Island, given in 1788 in January
1893	Naval Stores	Water hydraulics provides the power for the lifts and hoists
1893-c.1960	Standard gauge rail	Tramway operated around the Island. It was extended to Dock in the 1940s. Steam crane locomotives provided motive power
1889	Chain & Anchor Store/Battery Shop	Submarine batteries maintained. Fire station located at end of Store
1889	Spar Shed/Torpedo Store	Early Church Services in upstairs Dining Room
1889	Sawmill/Factory	Machinery in factory run by belts from a main steam driven shaft
1916-1960s	Cable & Chain Testing Machine	Used to pull cables & chain to test links and ends
1895	Coal Store	Storage for nearly 500 tons of coal, with its timber Coaling Wharf at the front, serviced with rail lines
1913	HMAS Parramatta Bow	Stern is located in a park in Parramatta
1924	Gun workshop and store	Converted to the RAN Heritage Centre in 2005
	Various	Memorials dedicated to ships of the Royal Australian Navy
1893	Tidal Baths	Closed in 1973 due to Harbour water quality and condition of the pool
1886	2nd Boat Shed	Since 2005 the Dockyard Display for the RAN Heritage Centre
1896	3rd Boat Shed	First boatshed built west of island in 1858
1893-5	Administration Building	Originally with single story on each side. Extended in 1920s & 30s.
1942	H.M.A.S. Kuttabul Memorial	The site of the sinking of the ferry Kuttabul with a loss of 21 lives
1887-9	Rigging House	First major building constructed. Upper floor was a sail loft, lower floor-boat shed and rigging house. The sail loft was used as a ballroom and function centre in the years after it was completed
1942	Slipways/ Air Raid Shelter	Northern Slipway later used as an stell reinforced air raid shelter. The steel plate was originally for the HMAS Sydney which was lost in battle
1950	Tarakan Disaster Memorial	Landing craft HMAS Tarakan petrol tanks exploded, claiming 8 lives
1905-1948	Detention Quarters	Navy gaol with 20 cells. Closed in 1943, demolished in 1948
1884-1888	Original End of lsland	Reclaimed from Hill spoil. Original end of lsland close to north end of Rigging House. A rocky shoal extended south where Rigging House is now situated
1902	Coffer Dam	Constructed to surround a basin to drain in order for the Dock to be constructed
1996	Church /Memorial Chapel	Balcony inside had 20 partitions for prisoners from gaol to occupy
1885 & 1895-6	Residences	Constructed for Supervisors on call, continued use till the 1990s
1880	1st Tennis Court	Built around 1880 just south of the residences
1884	2nd Tennis Court	Built around 1884 on the area south of the present fuel tank remained till c.1930
1788	Rock Carvings of Initials FM,WB & IR	3 men surveying Port Jackson landed and carved their initials
1902	1st Signal Station
1910	2nd Signal Station	A 72 metre mast was constructed in 1912. Shortened flag mast now located at National Maritime Museum
1925	3rd Signal Station
1917	Oil Fuel Tank	5,000 Ton Oil Fuel Tank planned in 1913, excavations began in 1915, continuing till 1917 when tank was constructed for the new fuel oil burning ships

References

• "HMAS Kuttabul". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 2008-09-26. http://web.archive.org/web/20080926142239/http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Kuttabul. Retrieved 2008-09-04. 

External links

• HMAS Kuttabul official website