- HMAS Nirimba
HMAS "Nirimba" was a
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) training base located at the formerRAAF Station Schofields at Schofields,New South Wales ,Australia .Schofields aerodrome was evaluated for use as the site of the RAN Aircraft Repair Yard, following the formation of the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm in November 1950. The RAN moved in and Schofields was temporarily commissioned as HMAS Albatross II, RANARY Schofields with a contingent of
Royal Navy officers and sailors supplementing the RAN Component. In January 1952, theRoyal Australian Air Force transferred control of the base to the RAN, but remained in residence until September 1952.On 1 April 1953, the Royal Australian Naval Air Repair Yard Schofields was commissioned as HMAS "Nirimba", a joint RANARY and technical training establishment for RAN Fleet Air Arm. The Aircraft Repair Yard was short lived however, and was closed down in early 1955 and HMAS "Nirimba" and the airfield were reduced to "Care and Maintenance" status.
In September 1955, preparations began to recommission HMAS "Nirimba" as the RAN Apprentice Training Establishment (RANATE) for Naval Apprentice training. The establishment reopened in January 1956, Captain F L George RAN assumed command. On 4 January 1956, HMAS "Nirimba" was ‘Paid off’ to recommission the next day as HMAS "Nirimba", RAN Apprentice Training Establishment.
"Nirimba" finally decommissioned on 25 February 1994, having trained some 13,000 young men and women from the RAN and other
Commonwealth Navies.Campuses of both
Western Sydney Institute of TAFE and theUniversity of Western Sydney now occupy the site, which was also the scene of hush-hush dress rehearsals for the 2000 Olympic Games opening ceremony.References
* Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
* Royal Australian Air Force Museum
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
