HMAS Waterhen (naval base)
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| HMAS Waterhen | |
|---|---|
| Waverton | |
 HMAS Waterhen |
|
| Type | Naval base |
| Built | 1997 |
| In use | 1943-present |
| Controlled by | Australia |
HMAS Waterhen is a shore establishment of the Royal Australian Navy, located in Waverton, Sydney. Waterhen is the parent establishment for the RAN's mine countermeasures forces. Her name commemorates the World War 2-era destroyer HMAS Waterhen sunk in 1941.
HMAS Waterhen is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour at Waverton on land that was originally granted to Edward Wollstonecraft and his business partner Alexander Berry in 1832. Today it owes its location to the need in the 1930s for a graving dock for the RAN. The cliff which forms the back wall is a result of quarrying which saw stone removed from the Waverton site to Potts Point to form the Captain Cook Graving Dock and the land bridge between Potts Point and Garden Island.
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[edit] World War Two
With the advent of World War II, a number of ‘temporary’ fibro buildings were constructed. The site was utilised as a Boom Defence Depot where they stored the booms (steel nets for underwater use to stop enemy submarines from entering the Harbour). It was a joint RAN/USN facility from 15 March 1943 to 30 June 1943, then was under RAN control from 1 July 1943.
[edit] Commissioned Establishment
After World War II the site reverted to a storage depot, until HMAS Waterhen was commissioned on 5 December 1962 to serve as a support base for the six Ton class minesweepers acquired from the Royal Navy in the 1960s. This was the first small ship base of this nature and was also home to the Mobile Clearance Diving Team. With a complement of 85 Officers and Sailors, the base had no accommodation, so in December 1962, the River class frigate HMAS Culgoa was relocated to the northern wharf and put into use as a barracks ship, where she remained until June 1971.[1].
In March 1969 HMAS Waterhen became the first base for the Attack Class Patrol Boats and the Commanding Officer HMAS WATERHEN also became Commander Australian Mine Warfare and Patrol Boat Forces (COMAUSMINPAB). The Attack Class Patrol Boats were later superseded by the Fremantle Class Patrol Boats.
In the mid-1990s, all patrol boat forces were relocated to HMAS Cairns and Darwin Naval Base. The role of COMAUSMINPAB was divided into Commander Australian Patrol Boat Force (COMAUSPABFOR) who relocated to HMAS Cairns, and Commander Australian Warfare Force (COMAUSMINFOR) who remained at HMAS Waterhen. COMAUSMINFOR was subsequently changed to Commander Australian Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Forces (COMAUSMINDIVFOR), a more complete reflection of the composition of the Australian Mine Countermeasures Force. In early 2000, following a broad restructure of the Navy, this title developed into Commander Australian Navy Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Group (COMAUSNAVMCDGRP).
[edit] Modernisation
A Modernisation Project commenced in December 1994 with the demolition of buildings at the northern end of the base and in the months to follow the entire base was levelled and the existing wharves removed. The Project was completed in December 1996 which was eight months ahead of schedule and at a total cost of $70 million. The Hand-Over Ceremony for the completion of the Modernisation Program was held 20 February 1997 [2].
The Waterhen complex comprises three main buildings, two new wharves, a small boat jetty and boat ramp, a four level car park, and supporting infrastructure. In recent years, HMAS Waterhen has been home to HMA Ships Rushcutter and Shoalwater, the Australian designed 'Bay Class' mine hunting catamarans which replaced the 'Ton Class' Mine countermeasures vessels. On 14 August 2001, these vessels were decommissioned and on 11 September 2001, they left HMAS Waterhen for Spectacle Island.
[edit] HMAS Waterhen today
Nowadays, HMAS Waterhen is home to six Huon Class Mine Hunter Coastal Vessels, HMA Ships Diamantina, Huon, Hawkesbury, Norman, Gascoyne and Yarra. HMAS Waterhen is also the home to a flotilla of support craft including Diving Tender (DTV) Seal, Torpedo recovery vessel (TRV) Trevally, and Mine Sweeper Auxiliaries (MSA) Bandicoot & Wallaroo
[edit] References
- ^ Bastock, John. "Australia's Ships of War", Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1975. ISBN 0-207-12927-4
- ^ http://www.navy.gov.au/establishments/waterhen HMAS Waterhen website
