HMAS #57: COONAWARRA Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

Smittengranny: This series of caches has been archived as new suburbs are encroaching on the area. Thank you to all who have visited the series and special thanks to the original COs for the placement of the caches. Thank you also to all who have helped with the collection of the old cache containers.

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Hidden : 3/10/2014
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:


Information about this Series

The HMAS cache series has been created by Cankid and Delta Response Team to celebrate the 2013 fleet review and this is 57 of 101 caches. The series features 53 ships, 11 bases, 20 knighted seamen, 5 engagements and 1 cache about the RAN. There are also 9 puzzles for each section of the series, with one final cache. There is also one extra for the enthusiasts out there. The series can be done in a day and is best done in order. The best mode of transport in doing this series is bike.

The Location

The series is located just off Coppins Crossing road and continues through an area quite close to the arboretum. Park at the parking coordinates as provided in the first cache and continue from there. Please show caution and do not obscure the gate. This series will take almost all day so plan ahead, take water and snacks for the trip. As said previously, it is best done by bike. Most of the caches are on fire trails but there are some where you will have to go off track to find them.

This cache



With the establishment of the RAN in 1911 the Royal Navy's responsibility for Australia's maritime defence ceased. Darwin had been used as a coaling station by naval vessels during the First World War, but it could not ever have been considered a naval base.

The first RAN involvement in public affairs in Darwin took place in December 1918 when HMAS UNA (previously the KAISER's yacht) a gunboat on her way home from the North Sea was diverted to Darwin to protect the Administrator following industrial disturbance outside Government House. Some 1000 irate unemployed persons had attempted to storm Government House following the closure of Vestey's Meatworks at Parap. The ship's company, who were now due for discharge following cessations of hostilities, were kept onboard to prevent them fraternising with the local people lest they should become acquainted with the true position in Darwin . After almost a month at anchor in Darwin harbour HMAS UNA was sailed for fear of a mutiny onboard.

She was replaced by HMAS ENCOUNTER, a cruiser of 5880 tons with eleven 6 inch and nine 9 pounder guns, in January 1919. Her sailors resented the fact that they had been sent to Darwin to shoot fellow Australians, if necessary, in support of the protection for the Administrator Dr. Gilruth - a man who had not been working in the best interest of Australia but was believed to have been providing support to Vestey Brothers in their commercial ventures in the Northern Territory . Late in February 1919 HMAS ENCOUNTER sailed unannounced from Darwin to Melbourne with Gilruth onboard. This was the last Darwin saw of Dr. Gilruth.

During the 1930s, the RAN built oil fuel tanks on the harbour front holding about 90,000 tons of oil. From February 1942, the oil tanks were targeted during many of the estimated 64 Japanese air raids on the city. The first of the Japanese raids sunk eight ships inside the harbour, and two in waters outside the port. Around 251 people died in the first two attacks, which were carried out by 188 aircraft launched from Japanese aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea, and land-based bombers from the Celebes.

The first naval depot at Darwin was established in January 1935. This was a naval reserve depot, commanded by LCDR H.P. Jarrett. At this time Darwin was part of the Naval Reserve District of Queensland. In 1937 the Naval District of the Northern Territory was separated from the Queensland District and the first District Naval Officer LCDR J.H. Walker was appointed.

Perhaps the most significant event for the Navy in Darwin during the early period occurred in London in 1923, when the Imperial Defence committee recommended to the Admiralty and the Australian Government that High powered Radio Transmitters to supplement those in Rugby (UK) be installed in Canberra and Darwin. After many years of negotiations and investigation by both technical personnel and administrators, Darwin W/T was established in 1939. It is interesting to note that the Service/Civilian control argument was well to the fore even at that time. The chairman of a large electronics firm was commissioned by the then Minister to investigate and recommend the necessary communication to support the Fleet of the Empire East of Suez. He recommended that his firm provide the equipment and personnel to give the fleets the service they required - needless to say this proposal was unacceptable to the Navy on the grounds of Management and Security.

The period before World War II saw a build up of personnel, the establishment of fuelling facilities, a boom depot, and later the Navy paid for improvements to Darwin's water supply in order to provide an adequate supply of water for visiting naval ships.

Naval Wireless Transmitting Station Coonawarra commenced operations on 18 September 1939 under the guidance of the first Officer-in-Charge, WO Telegraphist W.R. Phuap, RAN.

At the outbreak of World War II the Naval depot in Darwin was named HMAS Penguin, and on August 1, 1940 was formally commissioned as HMAS Melville. There was however, no change in the status of Coonawarra, which was administrated by the parent establishment in Darwin with the OIC responsible directly to the Navel Board for Operational Communications. Throughout World War II COONAWARRA Wireless Transmitting Station provided essential communications service in support of Allied Operations in the South West Pacific regions. This service was recognised formally on several occasions by allied commanders.

The Wireless Transmitting Station continued its communications role, commenced in wartime, into post-war period in support of Australian and Allied Naval and Merchant ship communications. As Darwin developed the demand for Inner City real estate increased and as a result the area of land occupied by HMAS Melville diminished as Naval acreage was released for city development. This ultimately brought about a situation where the reduction of Melville co-jointly with the increasing naval presence in the Darwin area required larger premises than those available at Melville. Consequently it was decided to decommission Melville, but retain the central function of the RAN in Darwin being the COONAWARRA Wireless Transmitting Station. This merger occurred on 16 March 1970, but HMAS Melville was retained until December 1974 when Cyclone Tracy destroyed it.

Since commissioning, HMAS Coonawarra has expanded rapidly. A new Receiving Station at Shoal Bay was opened in 1975, and a new Transmitting Station at Humpty Doo (to replace the original Transmitting Station at COONAWARRA East, which was destroyed by Cyclone Tracy) became fully operational in October 1982.

Darwin's new naval base is a model of the latest technology for the home porting of patrol boats. Its vertical-lift facility enables ships to be removed from the water for repair and maintenance and during emergencies such as cyclones. The base, set into the cliff at Larrakeyah Cove, is designed to provide operating support and maintenance facilities for up to six FREMANTLE Class Patrol Boats and other vessels, including survey, mine counter - measures and landing craft.

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 vertical lift comprises a 42 metre by 14 metre articulated steel platform suspended by wire ropes from eight hoists. To remove vessels from the water they are first floated over a suspended platform and then mechanically raised until completely clear of the water. They are then transferred by rail from the elevated platform to either under cover maintenance berths or outdoor tie down berths.

The facility has the capability to dock a vessel with a draught of up to two metres at any tide ad is capable of lifting or lowering a vessel up to 750 tonnes at a rate of 420 mm a minute (less than 1 ½ Ft/Min) and is designed to withstand cyclones.

Cyclone protection of the patrol craft requires their removal from the water by the vertical lift facility to dry land berths above surge level. The breakwaters also afford some protection to the vertical lift facility.

The facility provides much more efficient maintenance of vessels in Northern Australia, and thus, more time spent on coastal surveillance.

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