HMAS ''Cairns'' is a

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

(RAN) base located adjacent to the

Trinity Inlet The Trinity Inlet is an oceanic inlet which serves as the port for the city of Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The city centre is on the western bank where the inlet meets the Coral Sea. Location and features The Trinity Inlet is located in ...

on the shore of Trinity Bay in Cairns,

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. Although used regularly as a port-of-call since before

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, a permanent RAN presence was not established until 1971, when a maintenance and support base for patrol boats was set up. The base was formally commissioned in 1971 as a minor war vessel base. The current commander of the base is Commander David Hannah, RAN. HMAS ''Cairns'' is responsible for all Australian naval activity off north-eastern Australia, and is the home base for one

Armidale class patrol boat The ''Armidale'' class is a class of patrol boats built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Planning for a class of vessels to replace the fifteen s began in 1993 as a joint project with the Royal Malaysian Navy, but was cancelled when Malays ...

, two Cape class patrol boats and the ships of the

Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service The Australian Hydrographic Service (formerly known as the Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service) is the Australian Commonwealth Government agency responsible for providing hydrographic services that meet Australia's obligations under the SO ...

History

The RAN had been using Cairns as a regular stop since before

, and during the war, Cairns was the principal port-of-call for many ships prior to heading to Pacific destinations. There was no official RAN presence in Cairns until 1971, when facilities for the maintenance of the RAN's patrol boats were established. In 1974, HMAS ''Cairns'' was commissioned as the parent establishment for patrol vessels and hydrographic ships based at Cairns. In 2016, the Australian Government announced plans to significantly redevelop ''Cairns'' as northern Australia's key strategic naval base. The plans announced projected that the number of personnel would increase from 900 to 3,000 by 2020, via an 120 million injection over ten years. The base, and adjacent industry facilities, have been upgraded and designated 'Regional Maintenance Center (RMC) North East' as the first for four dedicated naval support centers to be established in strategically important ports. In May 2021 the Australian Government further announced an upgrade to the base and its facilities to support the incoming Arafura-Class patrol vessels currently under construction.

Facilities and operational units

''Cairns'' is currently responsible for all Australian naval activity from Rockhampton to

Thursday Island Thursday Island, colloquially known as TI, or in the Kawrareg dialect, Waiben or Waibene, is an island of the Torres Strait Islands, an archipelago of at least 274 small islands in the Torres Strait. TI is located approximately north of Cape ...

and serves as a home base for four Cape class patrol boats. The base also berths the RAN's entire hydrographic fleet, consisting of two ''Leeuwin'' class survey vessels.

Ships stationed

References

External links

Official website
{{RAN Bases Buildings and structures in Cairns Cairns Military units and formations established in 1974 1974 establishments in Australia Military buildings and structures in Queensland Military installations in Queensland

History

Facilities and operational units

Ships stationed

See also

References

External links