HMAS Cerberus (naval base)

The site for the Cerberus naval base on Hanns Inlet, between Sandy Point and Stony Point on Western Port Bay was purchased in 1911. The {{convert|15|km2}} base was opened in September 1920 and became known as Flinders Naval Depot in 1921. The Post Office opened on 2 December 1912 as Flinders Naval Base, was renamed Flinders Naval Depot in 1925 and HMAS Cerberus, Westernport in 1963.{{Cite web |author= Phoenix Auctions History |title=Post Office List |url=http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Flinders*Naval* |access-date=20 March 2021}} Cerberus now occupies most of Stony Point to the north and all of Sandy Point in the south.

From 1930 until 1958, Cerberus was the home of the Royal Australian Naval College, until it was clear that the base was becoming overcrowded and the College was moved back to HMAS Creswell.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/establishments/hmas-cerberus |title=HMAS Creswell History |work=Royal Australian Navy |publisher=Australian Government }} With the outbreak of World War II, many temporary buildings were erected to facilitate the training of wartime recruits. Many of these buildings were later demolished or replaced.

HMAS Cerberus possesses an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb), with tepid, relatively dry summers and mild, wetter winters. Average maxima vary from {{convert|24.9|C}} in February to {{convert|13.7|C}} in July, while average minima fluctuate between {{convert|14.2|C}} in February and {{convert|6.3|C}} in July. Mean precipitation is moderately low, averaging {{convert|710.8|mm|in|abbr=on}} per annum, but rainfall is frequent, as HMAS Cerberus receives 169.1 precipitation days annually (with a maximum frequency of rain in winter). Extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|45.8|C}} on 7 February 2009 to {{convert|-3.0|C}} on 3 July 2017.{{cite web |url = https://www.farmonlineweather.com.au/climate/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=86361 |title = Cerberus Climate (1986-2024) |website = FarmOnline Weather |access-date = September 21, 2024}}

{{Weather box

|location = HMAS Cerberus ({{coord|38.36|S|145.18|E}}, 13 m AMSL) (1986-2024 normals & extremes)

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high C = 44.1

|Feb record high C = 45.8

|Mar record high C = 39.9

|Apr record high C = 34.1

|May record high C = 25.6

|Jun record high C = 21.7

|Jul record high C = 21.9

|Aug record high C = 25.1

|Sep record high C = 28.9

|Oct record high C = 34.7

|Nov record high C = 38.8

|Dec record high C = 42.4

|Jan high C = 24.6

|Feb high C = 24.9

|Mar high C = 23.2

|Apr high C = 19.9

|May high C = 16.7

|Jun high C = 14.2

|Jul high C = 13.7

|Aug high C = 14.7

|Sep high C = 16.6

|Oct high C = 18.6

|Nov high C = 20.6

|Dec high C = 22.5

|Jan low C = 14.1

|Feb low C = 14.2

|Mar low C = 12.7

|Apr low C = 10.0

|May low C = 8.4

|Jun low C = 6.8

|Jul low C = 6.3

|Aug low C = 6.7

|Sep low C = 7.6

|Oct low C = 8.9

|Nov low C = 10.7

|Dec low C = 12.0

|Jan record low C = 5.2

|Feb record low C = 5.0

|Mar record low C = 2.2

|Apr record low C = -1.7

|May record low C = -1.1

|Jun record low C = -1.8

|Jul record low C = -3.0

|Aug record low C = -2.5

|Sep record low C = -0.3

|Oct record low C = -0.9

|Nov record low C = 1.8

|Dec record low C = 3.3

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 41.3

|Feb precipitation mm = 34.8

|Mar precipitation mm = 43.3

|Apr precipitation mm = 62.6

|May precipitation mm = 68.6

|Jun precipitation mm = 73.3

|Jul precipitation mm = 69.7

|Aug precipitation mm = 73.1

|Sep precipitation mm = 66.5

|Oct precipitation mm = 68.2

|Nov precipitation mm = 56.7

|Dec precipitation mm = 53.2

|year precipitation mm = 710.8

|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 8.2

|Feb precipitation days = 7.2

|Mar precipitation days = 10.8

|Apr precipitation days = 14.5

|May precipitation days = 17.2

|Jun precipitation days = 18.4

|Jul precipitation days = 19.2

|Aug precipitation days = 19.2

|Sep precipitation days = 16.1

|Oct precipitation days = 15.4

|Nov precipitation days = 12.1

|Dec precipitation days = 10.8

|Jan afthumidity = 58

|Feb afthumidity = 56

|Mar afthumidity = 57

|Apr afthumidity = 60

|May afthumidity = 68

|Jun afthumidity = 72

|Jul afthumidity = 69

|Aug afthumidity = 64

|Sep afthumidity = 63

|Oct afthumidity = 61

|Nov afthumidity = 62

|Dec afthumidity = 59

|Jan dew point C = 12.5

|Feb dew point C = 12.9

|Mar dew point C = 11.5

|Apr dew point C = 9.8

|May dew point C = 9.1

|Jun dew point C = 7.9

|Jul dew point C = 6.8

|Aug dew point C = 6.4

|Sep dew point C = 7.3

|Oct dew point C = 8.3

|Nov dew point C = 10.3

|Dec dew point C = 11.1

|source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology (1986-2024 normals & extremes)

}}

The primary role of HMAS Cerberus has always been the training of RAN personnel. With the establishment of four tri-service schools over the last 13 years, this role has been extended to training Army and Air Force personnel. Specific courses offered include: the School of Survivability and Ship Safety which specialises in fire fighting, damage control and nuclear/biological/chemical defence; and seamanship and weapons training.

The base is also the home of the Recruit School – for all sailors their first contact with life in the RAN. HMAS Cerberus comprises numerous training and recreation facilities, two chapels and a small marina. Training is provided for about 6,000 personnel annually, averaging 800 trainees at any one time.

{{citations needed section|date=September 2023}}

HMAS Cerberus currently host to the following naval training schools

• RAN Recruit School
• SSSS (School of Ship Safety and Survivability)
• Boatswains Faculty
• Defence Force School of Signals – Maritime Communications and Information Systems Wing
• Engineering Faculty
• Medical Training School
• Supply School
• Gunnery School
• Small Arms Training School
• WTSS Range
• ADF School of Physical Fitness
• ADF School of Catering
• ADF Dental School

HMAS Cerberus hosts the only dedicated weather-related Satellite Earth station in Australia, founded in 1991 and operated by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) to service China's first Turn Around Ranging Station (C-TARS) and servicing geostationary meteorological satellites, servicing Japan's Himawari or GMS-4 and GMS-5.{{cite web|title=Crib Point Satellite Earth Station: celebrating 20 years of service - Social Media Blog - Bureau of Meteorology|url=http://media.bom.gov.au/social/blog/48/crib-point-satellite-earth-station-celebrating-20-years-of-service/|website=media.bom.gov.au|publisher=Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=24 April 2017|language=en}} In August [2016], the BoM installed through a contractor Av-Comm, the first Australian ground station for the Himawari 8 weather satellite service.{{cite web|title=Himawari 8 Weather Satellite Project {{!}} Av-Comm|url=https://www.avcomm.com.au/projects/4761/|website=Av-Comm|access-date=26 April 2017}}

File:HMAS Cerberus 4 inch Mk VII gun training WWII AWM 306137.jpg

The RAN recruit school is where all full-time and reserve general entry sailors complete their training. The full-time recruit course is eleven weeks in duration, and gives sailors the skills and knowledge required to conduct basic duties in the RAN, and prepare them for their specialised roles. Recruits join the RAN in monthly intakes, and these recruits are placed into one of four divisions. The recruits stay with their division for the entire eleven-week course. Some of the training and education conducted in the recruit course are:

• Teamwork exercises
• Uniform wearing and maintenance
• Drill and discipline
• First aid
• Survival at sea
• Basic ship maintenance and corrosion control
• Operation and proficiency on the service firearm, the F88 Austeyr
• Ship and sea combat survivability
• Physical training and fitness
• Basic seamanship

Part of the course includes a two-and-a-half-day sea familiarisation course.

File:RAN Colours GeorgeV-VI.JPG and VI.]]

The engineering faculty is where Marine Technicians, Electronics Technicians, Marine Engineer Officers and Electronics Engineer Officers complete their employment training.

The base has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Southern Football League,{{Cite web |author=Full Point Footy |title=Southern Football League |url=http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/southern_football_league.htm |access-date=21 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101204948/http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/southern_football_league.htm |archive-date=1 January 2009 |url-status=usurped }} as well as a hockey club competing in the Hockey Victoria competition. Golfers play at the [https://www.morningtonpeninsulalife.com/cerberus-golf-course Cerberus (HMAS Cerberus) Golf Club] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726042821/https://www.morningtonpeninsulalife.com/cerberus-golf-course |date=26 July 2020 }} on Stony Point Road.{{Cite web |author=Golf Select |title=Cerberus |url=http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=2100 |access-date=11 May 2009}}

Numerous memorials are at the base with many including stained glass windows in the two chapels: Our Lady of the Sea (Catholic), and St Mark's (Anglican/interdenominational). St Mark's chapel also houses retired King's/Queen's colour flags of George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II.

• List of Royal Australian Navy bases

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|HMAS Cerberus, Victoria}}

• [http://www.navy.gov.au/establishments/hmas-cerberus RAN HMAS Cerberus official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110601191751/http://www.navy.gov.au/Recruit_School RAN Website for Recruit School]

{{Portal bar|Australia|Royal Australian Navy}}

{{Royal Australian Navy}}

{{RAN Bases}}

{{Shire of Mornington Peninsula suburbs}}

{{Coastal townships and localities of Western Port, Victoria}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cerberus}}

Category:Royal Australian Navy bases

Category:Military education and training in Australia

Category:Buildings and structures in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula

Category:Towns in Victoria (state)

Category:Coastal towns in Victoria (state)

Category:Western Port

Category:Earth stations in Australia

Category:1921 establishments in Australia

Category:Military installations established in 1921

Category:Military installations in Victoria (state)

Category:Commonwealth Heritage List places in Victoria (state)

Category:Suburbs of the Shire of Mornington Peninsula