HMAS Stirling

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Crest of HMAS Stirling

HMAS Stirling ( 32°13′33″S, 115°41′24″E) is the name given to the administrative centre of the Royal Australian Navy's main naval base on the west coast (Fleet Base West), located on Garden Island just off the Western Australian coast near the city of Perth. Garden Island also has its own airport on the island (ICAO: YGAD).

[edit] History

The name HMAS Stirling honours Admiral Sir James Stirling , Royal Navy (28 January 1791–23 April 1865), a British marine officer and colonial administrator who landed on Garden Island, Western Australia in 1827 and returned as commander of the barque Parmelia [2]in June, 1829 to establish and administer the Swan River Colony in Western Australia. He was the first Governor of Western Australia (1828–38) and on his own initiative signed Britain's first limited treaty with Japan in 1854.

The planning of Stirling began in 1969 when, after it was decided to create the Two Ocean Policy, a feasibility study into the use of Garden Island as a naval base was begun. The 4.2 kilometre causeway linking the island with the mainland was completed in June 1973. Construction of the wharves and workshops began in early 1973 and accommodation in 1975 with the facility, including the new Fleet Base West, being formally commissioned on July 28, 1978.

The first major unit to call Fleet Base West home was HMAS Stuart (F 21/DE 48), having first been assigned to Stirling in 1984 for several years and, after refitting in the east, again in 1988 until decommissioning in 1991.

Stirling has expanded enormously within its existing boundaries and has seen building such as the Submarine Escape Training Facility – one of only six in the world and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere. Stirling is home to all 6 of the Collins class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service.

[edit] Garden Island

Garden Island is 10km in length, 1.5 km wide and is 13 square km in area, Stirling occupies approximately 28% of that area. The remaining portion of the Island is nature reserve, the navy has been active in the removal of introduced flora and fauna species. The island has its own quarantine conditions which prohibit bringing of plants and animals to the island.^[1]

[edit] Ship Stationed

HMAS Sheenan (front left), HMAS Collins (front right), HMAS Sirius (back left) and ex-HMAS Westralia at HMAS Stirling in 2006

• HMAS Anzac
• HMAS Arunta
• HMAS Collins
• HMAS Darwin
• HMAS Dechaineux
• HMAS Farncomb
• HMAS Perth
• HMAS Rankin
• HMAS Sheean
• HMAS Sirius
• HMAS Toowoomba
• HMAS Waller
• HMAS Warramunga

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• HMAS Stirling official site