HMAS Coonawarra
HMAS Coonawarra | |
---|---|
Ship's badge of HMAS Coonawarra | |
Location in the Northern Territory | |
Coordinates | 12°27′31″S 130°49′18″E / 12.45861°S 130.82167°E |
Type | Naval base |
Site information | |
Owner | Department of Defence |
Operator | ![]() ![]() |
Website | navy |
Site history | |
Built | 1940 |
In use | 1935 – current |
Garrison information | |
Current commander | Commander Viktor Pilicic, RAN |
HMAS Coonawarra is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base located in Darwin, Northern Territory, and is home to seven fleet units of the RAN. The current commander is Captain Moses Raudino, ADC, RAN.
History
During
The first naval depot at Darwin was established in January 1935. This was a naval reserve depot, commanded by Lieutenant Commander H.P. Jarrett. At this time, Darwin was part of the
At the outbreak of World War II, the naval depot in Darwin was named HMAS Penguin, and on 1 August 1940 was formally commissioned as HMAS Melville. Throughout World War II, the Wireless Transmitting Station provided essential communications service in support of Allied Operations in the South West Pacific regions. The base suffered significant damage during the Japanese bombing raids on the city.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Attack-class.jpg/220px-Attack-class.jpg)
After World War II, the base continued to be known as HMAS Melville. The development of Darwin during the 1950s and 1960s saw the size of Melville shrink, the problem was intensified by the continued growth of naval personnel in Darwin. It was decided to decommission Melville and relocate the RAN's Darwin base to naval Wireless Transmitting Station Coonawarra. Although the base was transferred over and commissioned at HMAS Coonawarra on 16 March 1970, facilities at Melville remained operational until their destruction by Cyclone Tracy on 25 December 1974.[1]
On 30 November 2012, fourteen firearms were stolen from an Armidale-class patrol boat moored at the base.[2][3] The weapons were recovered the next day.[2]
Facilities and operational units
The wharf can accommodate six vessels, berthed three abreast. Services such as fuel, electrical power, compressed air, sewerage out, oily waste suction, and defuelling is available at the berthing points. The facility has the capability to dock a vessel with a draught of up to two metres (six point six feet) at any tide, is capable of lifting or lowering a vessel up to 750 tonnes (830 short tons) at a rate of 420 millimetres (17 in) per minute, and is designed to withstand cyclones.
In 2016 the Australian Government announced plans to significantly redevelop Coonawarra as one of northern Australia's key strategic naval bases. The plans announced projected that the base will support an increased maritime force, including some of the twelve new offshore patrol vessels that will be based in Darwin. An A$1.2 billion injection was expected to commence in 2025.[4]
Ships stationed
- Armidale class:
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "HMAS Coonawarra". Royal Australian Navy. Australian Government. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Police recover stolen navy weapons". ABC News. Australia. 1 December 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ "Navy officer assaulted, weapons stolen". The Australian. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ Shields, Wayne (25 February 2016). "Defence White Paper: NT economy set for massive boost on the back of spending to match Asia's growing military presence". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 5 August 2017.