RAAF Base Laverton
From Our Contribution
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Brief History
Point Cook was the only base in Victoria until 1925 when Laverton was opened to support the lncreased workload in flying and maintenance commitments. The existing warehouses and workshops were inadequate to service he expanding numbers od aircraft requiring accommodation there. The Also machinery stored in unsealed canvas hangers at Point Cook were deterioratig due to their exposure to salt air, and the site was therefore inappropriate for the growing support squadron.
A 160 acre site, seven kilometers to the north, that had been acquired in 1921 was chosen, as it was also capable of housing an aircraft landing strip. Point Cook would revert to pilot training with No. 1 Squadron RAAF moving to Laverton on 1 Mar 1926. It was also the testing ground for a number of RAAF aircraft.
Activity increased as WW2 approached and during the war Laverton served as the birtplace of squadrons that later served in the Pacific theatre. Laverton also saw the formation of a paratroop training unit, an equipment training s<hool and the 150 Radio Direction Finding Unit, formed in May 1943. Many of the units formed then moved north, but Laverton's prime functiun, that of an aircraft depot, continued throughout thc War.
The Aircraft Research and Development Unit moved to L.werton from
Point Cook on 2!i Oct(lber 1948. 6 RAAF IIMpital moved to Lawrton in
1949; the School of Radio moved from Ballarat to Lavcrton in 1961 to join
the r.Jdio apprentice school already located there.
In June 1946, Lavcrton stcppo.'d proudly into U1e jet ern when a Gloster
Mcti!Or made it!. first flight. Shortly after, in May 1947. the first Vampire
jet aircraft asscmbkod at 1 Aircroft Depot wa> flown fc>r the first time in
Au.strJiio. The first Canberra aircraft arrived frC'Im the United Kingdom in
August 1951, and later the first Au>tralian-built Canberra .1ircraft .1rrived
for delivery to I AD in july 1953. With a name change in May 1952 to
HcMdquarters RAAF Laverton, lhc S.1se continued tC'I be the starting poant
for several aircraft types introduced to the Air Force. The first Australian·
built S.Jbrc lighter aircraft arrived in September 1953 and the aircraft
wcr<.' later commissioned into the RAAF at Laverton in August th~
following year. September 1955 saw the first Australa;m-bualt Wanjcel
arrive ot Lnvcrton Base.
l)urtn!l llw fa"'t .JQ yl!ar.> of ats opcrahon, Lwerton', lAO was
rc:.pon'lble fur the on-rhaul and mamtl'nancc of 42 aarcraft IYI"-"'· In
1961, a change an D.!fL'tlCC pohC)' rcsulteJ an lhL' ck,.,mg down of thl'
aircraft repaar 'l'Chon, although aarcraft cnilan'-. wntanut'<l to be
o• erh.lull'<l at tht• dcpc11 unbl 1961;.
On 6 Marth 1<15-1, the 8.1~ w.1s honour,'() O) ,, 'I \It fmm llcr \laj!"ty
Queen Elu,lbeth II Tiw,, an earher ,.i .. t an Scpt,•mber 19:1-1 O) thl' Dul-t'
anLI Duchl'S' of GloucL-.tcr to the then n,•Jglan!: I ,aq•rtoo 13.1-c, and a
further "'-"II by LorJ .1nd Lady Loub Mnuntb.•tt••n an 19~1>. are th<'
recordi'J "I"" by roy.1 lty to thl' Base in it. history tn d.1te.
The B., ....... ha"t ho!'ttrd vir;; itors rn1rn mrlny nth(•r cuuntrirs. huwevl'r.
During the I 96th, the United Statrs Air l'orcl' ">7 W,•,\llwr R1<ennnois--.1ncc
Squadron occupil>d '><'vera I b uildings at Ll\ crtnn. Fur ""'"Y JL<cades, too,
the B.l~ ha' olCn>ntmodatL>d \'1'-ltO!'!. from ncaghhmanng wunlfll" 'uch ·~
Papua N••w (.uanca (Niugmi), Pakhtan, Malay\la .1nd New /caland, a"
thcv ha' c cat her Ot'l'n studying or tutoring at the Ddcncc lntemahonal
Trainang Centre.' A Of Lmguagc School, or on "h.lng<' In th<.• 0) mg t>r
traanang ..qu,adruru.. Tod.1y, the me.se. .11 wvcrtcm 8.1~ permanent!}
accommodat,• ATm),l\a• y, Au Force and trar'-'ll'nt pt.•r-onnd
l..wl'rton tcxl,l) coml.'l> under the au>pace nf 'RA\F Walharru.', a
change made an \llarch 1989 which S<lw Poant lool. Jnd Laverton
.lma g.m;,J ~cl A' a fl">ult, ;ev.,rat asp<.'CL' of 'upport wluch had bcl'n
duplic.ltL' were able tu lw mn'><llidatt•d. The
commcrca.lll--.ltlnn of the ca ~ring functions of llol'l' '><l ll·ldn>ai William>
has be-en nne nf U1e most noticeable change> tn the f.ace of RAAF In
Melbourne.
ll>c future of RAAF Wtllaams, la\'Crton B.N;,, " ccrlam to andudc an
incrc._t~ in promincn...-e in the sou them Vic.ton.ln n .. ·w~m AlrctuJr a nava)
reserw unat and .ur c,>det unit opcrak fmm the B,,,.. wH•rtnn wall be the
only fun,honal RAAF 00!>(' to remain m \llelboum~ (," RAJ\ I Willaam;;).
Whale " .-r,ll dfl',lS wathan the Base's perimeter arc under an\·c-shJ;Jhon
for "" ur te.>~ (indudang trn: airfield and ..om<.• "Mt•hoU'l'S), the uniL~
hnu>L>d ther,• art• -chc'<luk>d to >hare the Ba><• wath lleadquartcr> l.<l!,.,bC:.
Comm.md. whach as planned to move from the caty 111" wall m"an an
inOU\ or 900 p<.'N>nncl-cll'lhan and mahtar\' M.1ny of '"'"" will fl'<jUirc
ne-.,. marr1cd (1\hlriC"' or c;tngle living-Ill .,ccumnmJ,ltu.m. tlnd the
prospc'Ct Of CXpJndang the current fuclhhl., In (Mr) the unp.>ct of the
incrc.l'cd IJa><' population as valid.
Notes