Остров Гарден: История и современность военно-морской базы Сиднея.

Locality in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Garden Island is an inner city locality of Sydney, Australia, and the location of a major Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base. It is located to the north east of the Sydney central business district and juts out into Port Jackson, immediately to the north of the suburb of Potts Point. Used for government and naval purposes since the earliest days of the colony of Sydney, it was originally a completely detached island but was joined to the Potts Point shoreline by major land reclamation work during World War II. Today, Garden Island forms a major part of the RAN's Fleet Base East. It includes active dockyards (including the Captain Cook Graving Dock), naval wharves and a naval heritage and museum precinct. Approximately half of the major fleet units of the RAN use the wharves as their home port. The northern tip of Garden Island is open to the public and contains the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre museum and an outdoor heritage precinct. Immediately south and above Garden Island on the Potts Point ridgeline is HMAS Kuttabul, the RAN's major administrative, training and logistics support establishment for the Sydney area. Although HMAS Kuttabul is administratively a separate facility to Garden Island, the two names are often referred to interchangeably.

Garden Island was originally an island in Sydney Harbour, but extension of the base and the construction of a dry dock in the channel between the island and the mainland have resulted in its connection to the mainland shore at Potts Point from the 1940s. The wharves of the naval base now stretch the length of the eastern side of Woolloomooloo Bay, from the suburb of Woolloomooloo to the end of the original island.

'Bayinguwa’ is the First Nations name for a small island at the end of Woolloomooloo Bay in Port Jackson Harbour. It was renamed Garden Island in 1788 after it was planted in the first months of European settlement in Australia, to serve as a kitchen garden by officers and crew of the First Fleet vessel Initials carved into a sandstone rock on the site are believed to be the oldest colonial graffiti in Australia, comprising the letters "FM 1788," representing Frederick Meredith who served as Sirius steward. On 7 September 1811, ownership of Garden Island was declared to have transferred to the Governor's estate with produce dedicated for the exclusive use of Government House. The transfer had practical effect but due to an administrative error it was not formally registered, leaving the land in the legal ownership of the Navy, which successfully sought its return in 1866. Sandstone fortifications, built on the island during the 1820s to protect Sydney from a much feared Russian attack, also survive. Garden Island also boasts what is claimed to be Australia's first lawn tennis court. Built in 1880, it is still in use, although the lawn was replaced in 1960.

Prior to World War II, the nearest sizable naval graving dock was at Singapore Naval Base; an round trip for a potentially damaged warship. Consequently, in 1938, the Australian cabinet approved the idea of building a large naval graving dock. On 2 March 1945, the British aircraft carrier underwent an emergency docking: although the drydock was not due to open for another three weeks, the advanced state of building made the docking possible. The dock is 1,139 feet (347 m) long, with a width of 147 feet (45 m). The dock is 45 feet (14 m) deep at spring tide. The crane's primary purpose was the removal and installation of warship gun turrets, although it was regularly used for other machinery and loads, and had a lifting capacity of up to Other options, such as preserving the crane as a heritage structure and tourist attraction, restoring it to working order, or converting it to a new purpose, were ruled out due to cost and the risk to security at the naval base.

There is a tunnel system under Garden Island that was once used by the Royal Australian Navy. Unreliable source: date=January 2016 Within this tunnel system was a power station, offices and air raid shelters. a part of the international Thales Group. They are used to service naval and civilian vessels.

The various wharves that line Garden Island remain under the control of the navy and are used as the home port facilities for about half the Royal Australian Navy's major ships. The wharves on the western side of the island have sufficient depth of water to berth the largest United States Navy aircraft carriers.

The Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre was opened in 2005 and is the official museum of the Royal Australian Navy. Some large ships are permitted to berth at Garden Island's naval wharves, initially on an ad hoc basis, followed in 2012 by an agreement to permit three cruise ships to berth per year. There have been calls for increased cruise ship access to the naval wharves, with some suggesting that the RAN should relocate entirely. The RAN and the Department of Defence have opposed these proposals due to the security risks and loss of capability the increased civilian presence would bring, and the enormous cost of replicating the existing capability at a new location (a 2013 defence white paper estimated a cost of over $6 billion, although naval personnel stated that this did not include the creation of support facilities like the graving dock, or relocating supporting companies and industries like Thales). Most of the potential locations for a replacement base would require large scale, ongoing dredging works to allow access to large naval ships, and have narrow access channels which could be easily blocked in wartime.

Heritage ItemsDateDescriptionDetails1945 Captain Cook Dock Constructed between 1941–45 and opened 24 March 1945 as the largest Graving Dock in southern hemisphere1888Royal Navy/Royal Marine BarracksNorthern & southern balconies added in 18921888Kitchens/LaundryMeals were prepared in kitchens and taken into Barracks for eatingDetention QuartersCell door bolted to wall behind Barracks. The only relic remaining of Detention Quarters1942Tanks/air raid shelterUnderground water tanks for kitchens made into air raid shelters for 100 people1928Lubricating Oil StoreModernised and lift added in 1984 to become Dockyard Supply Centre1893Sheerlegs CraneConstructed by Easton & Anderson, then the largest crane in the world. Design Load 160T and Test loaded to 200T. Removed in 19401951Hammerhead CraneOne of only 15 still standing around the world, the crane has not been used since 1996. Department of Defence has announced removal.1788Original GardensGardens were first started on 11 February 1788 for crew of HMS Sirius and used by various ships till 1806. Hence the name Garden Island, given in 1788 in January1893Naval StoresWater hydraulics provides the power for the lifts and hoists1893–c.1960Standard gauge railTramway operated around the Island. It was extended to Dock in the 1940s. Steam crane locomotives provided motive power1889Chain & Anchor Store/Battery ShopSubmarine batteries maintained. Fire station located at end of Store1889Spar Shed/Torpedo Store Early Church Services in upstairs Dining Room1889Sawmill/FactoryMachinery in factory run by belts from a main steam driven shaft1916–1960sCable & Chain Testing MachineUsed to pull cables & chain to test links and ends1895 Coal StoreStorage for nearly 500 tons of coal, with its timber Coaling Wharf at the front, serviced with rail lines1913 BowStern is located in a park in Parramatta1924Gun workshop and storeConverted to the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre in 2005VariousMemorials dedicated to ships of the Royal Australian Navy1893Tidal BathsClosed in 1973 due to Harbour water quality and condition of the pool18862nd Boat ShedSince 2005 the Dockyard Display for the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre18963rd Boat ShedFirst boatshed built west of island in 18581893–95Administration BuildingOriginally with single story on each side. Extended in 1920s & 30s.1942HMAS Kuttabul MemorialThe site of the sinking of the ferry with a loss of 21 lives1887–89Rigging HouseFirst major building constructed. Upper floor was a sail loft, lower floor boat shed and
rigging house. The sail loft was used as a ballroom and function centre in the years after it was completed1942Slipways/ Air Raid ShelterNorthern Slipway later used as a steel reinforced air raid shelter. The steel plate was originally for , which was lost in battle1950Tarakan Disaster MemorialLanding craft 's petrol tanks exploded, claiming 8 lives1905–1948Detention QuartersNavy gaol with 20 cells. Closed in 1943, demolished in 19481884–1888Original End of IslandReclaimed from Hill spoil. Original end of island close to north end of Rigging House. A rocky shoal extended south where Rigging House is now situated1902Coffer DamConstructed to surround a basin to drain in order for the Dock to be constructed1996Church/Memorial ChapelBalcony inside had 20 partitions for prisoners from gaol to occupy1885 & 1895–96ResidencesConstructed for Supervisors on call, continued use till the 1990s18801st Tennis CourtBuilt around 1880 just south of the residences18842nd Tennis CourtBuilt around 1884 on the area south of the present fuel tank remained till c.19301788Rock Carvings of Initials FM,WB & IR3 men surveying Port Jackson landed and carved their initials19021st Signal Station19102nd Signal StationA mast was constructed in 1912. Shortened flag mast now located at the Australian National Maritime Museum19253rd Signal Station1917Oil Fuel Tank5,000 ton oil fuel tank planned in 1913, excavations began in 1915, continuing till 1917 when tank was constructed for the new fuel oil burning ships