HMAS Leeuwin (naval base)
Encyclopedia
HMAS Leeuwin was a shore establishment of the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN), located in Fremantle, Western Australia
. Commissioned in August 1940 as the naval depot for Fremantle, the base was adopted for use as a training facility after World War II: initially for reservists and national servicemen, then as the Junior Recruit Training Establishment (JRTE) from 1960 until 1984. Decommissioned from naval service in 1986, the base was later reopened under the control of the Australian Army
as Leeuwin Barracks
(lioness), which accidentally discovered the south-east coast of Western Australia
in 1622, while sailing to Batavia
; this was later recorded on the Caert van't Landt van d'Eendracht
("Chart of the Land of Eendracht"), a 1627 map by Hessel Gerritsz
and one of the earliest maps of Australia. The original facility was centred around a drill hall constructed in 1926 in East Fremantle, but Leeuwin was relocated in 1942 to Preston Point, on the other side of the Swan River
.
After World War II, Leeuwin was tasked with training reservists and national servicemen
. The base was reclassified as the Junior Recruit Training Establishment (JRTE) in 1960: boys would normally join the military from the age of fifteen, and the JRTE served to give them a year of secondary education
along with basic naval training, before sending them to other bases for training in their specialty. Education and training of junior recruits was shared with the Royal Australian Naval College at , located on Jervis Bay, New South Wales. The first JRTE intake consisted of 155 recruits, and by the end of the decade, over 800 junior recruits and 100 officer candidates were in residence.
The JRTE was closed in 1984, after having educated 12,074 recruits: the improving quality of education in Australia
meant that the RAN no longer felt the need to provide secondary education to those wishing to join the navy. Leeuwin was decommissioned on 11 November 1986: one of several RAN facilities closed during the late 1980s and early 1990s because of funding cuts and the rationalisation and consolidation of shore bases.
The facilities remained in the possession of the Australian Defence Force
, and were later reopened as Leeuwin Bararacks, a facility of the Australian Army
. The Barracks provides support for personnel of all three branches of the Australian military in the Fremantle area.
s, and treated them as ships.
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN), located in Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
. Commissioned in August 1940 as the naval depot for Fremantle, the base was adopted for use as a training facility after World War II: initially for reservists and national servicemen, then as the Junior Recruit Training Establishment (JRTE) from 1960 until 1984. Decommissioned from naval service in 1986, the base was later reopened under the control of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
as Leeuwin Barracks
History
Leeuwin was commissioned into the RAN on 1 August 1940 as the naval depot for Fremantle. The base was named after the Dutch galleon LeeuwinLeeuwin (galleon)
Leeuwin was a Dutch galleon that discovered and mapped some of the southwest corner of Australia in March 1622. In this way it became only the seventh European ship to sight the continent....
(lioness), which accidentally discovered the south-east coast of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1622, while sailing to Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
; this was later recorded on the Caert van't Landt van d'Eendracht
Caert van't Landt van d'Eendracht
Caert van't Landt van d'Eendracht is a 1627 map by Hessel Gerritsz. One of the earliest maps of Australia, it shows what little was then known of the west coast, based on a number of voyages beginning with the 1616 voyage of Dirk Hartog...
("Chart of the Land of Eendracht"), a 1627 map by Hessel Gerritsz
Hessel Gerritsz
Hessel Gerritsz was a Dutch engraver, cartographer and publisher. Despite strong competition, he is considered by some “unquestionably the chief Dutch cartographer of the 17th century”...
and one of the earliest maps of Australia. The original facility was centred around a drill hall constructed in 1926 in East Fremantle, but Leeuwin was relocated in 1942 to Preston Point, on the other side of the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
.
After World War II, Leeuwin was tasked with training reservists and national servicemen
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
. The base was reclassified as the Junior Recruit Training Establishment (JRTE) in 1960: boys would normally join the military from the age of fifteen, and the JRTE served to give them a year of secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
along with basic naval training, before sending them to other bases for training in their specialty. Education and training of junior recruits was shared with the Royal Australian Naval College at , located on Jervis Bay, New South Wales. The first JRTE intake consisted of 155 recruits, and by the end of the decade, over 800 junior recruits and 100 officer candidates were in residence.
The JRTE was closed in 1984, after having educated 12,074 recruits: the improving quality of education in Australia
Education in Australia
Education in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories. Each state or territory government provides funding and regulates the public and private schools within its governing area. The federal government helps fund the public universities, but is not involved in setting...
meant that the RAN no longer felt the need to provide secondary education to those wishing to join the navy. Leeuwin was decommissioned on 11 November 1986: one of several RAN facilities closed during the late 1980s and early 1990s because of funding cuts and the rationalisation and consolidation of shore bases.
The facilities remained in the possession of the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
, and were later reopened as Leeuwin Bararacks, a facility of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. The Barracks provides support for personnel of all three branches of the Australian military in the Fremantle area.
Footnotes
Like most Commonwealth navies, the RAN considers its shore facilities to be stone frigateStone frigate
Stone frigate is a nickname for a naval establishment on land. The term has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy after its use of Diamond Rock, off Martinique, as a 'sloop of war' to harass the French...
s, and treated them as ships.