At Ground Zero you will find concrete structures protruding from
the ground. If you have a look around you will find the bunker. The
bunker is half full of water so take waders if you want to look
through it. The only information I can find on the bunker indicates
that it was an Emergency Radio Bunker.
Entry to the area is accesable by 4wd as the bunker is under
power lines. You can walk in along the track which starts about
100m south of the Dorrington Rd Roundabout.
Rathmines and the Catalina
During July 1938, No 5 Squadron (renamed No 9 Squadron on the 1
January 1939), which was based at RAAF Base Point Cook, was sent to
investigate landing areas and sites around the Lake Macquarie area
for the establishment of a base and the eventual move of the
squadron. In September 1939, camp was set up, and arrangements were
made to rent local cottages as living quarters. The base, with Wing
Commander J.E. Hewitt in command, became operational when 9
Squadron transferred from Point Cook to Rathmines, with Seagull
flying boats.
Catalina flying boats arrived at the Base in February 1941, and
by September 1943 the base comprised 14 Catalinas, two Seagulls, a
Dornier and a Dolphin. During training, many personnel brought
their families to live in the towns and villages near the Rathmines
base which influenced the establishment of other services such a
school and post office.
The RAAF Base at Rathmines became the largest RAAF flying boat
base in the southern hemisphere. Lake Macquarie was an ideal site
as it is Australia’s largest saltwater lake and is four times
the size of Sydney Harbour with 175km of shoreline.
At various stages during World War II, Rathmines housed Nos. 9
(Walrus), 11, 20 and 43 (Catalina), 40 (Sunderland and Martin
Mariner), 41 (Dornier Do 24K, Mariner and S23 Empire) and 107
(Kingfisher) Squadrons. The Rathmines RAAF seaplane base played a
pivotal role in the defence of Australia in World War II and its
flying boats were involved with the mining of Manilla Harbour and
played an important part in the Battle of the Coral Sea. The base
reached its peak strength of almost 3,000 RAAF personnel in
1944-45. It comprised 230 buildings and marine facilities and there
were forty aircraft in service.
As well as being was a vital repair centre, it was also a centre
for training, housing the Operational Training Unit (No 3 OTU) for
Catalina crews and in all provided training to over 200 crews
during the war. New flying boats, made in the USA, were flown to
Rathmines and were then converted for operational duties.
Between 1941 and 1952, the RAAF operated a total of 168
Catalinas, with the RAAF serial number prefix A24, and these were
flown by four front line squadrons, two communications units and
three air-sea rescue flights. The Catalina flying boats were the
only aircraft to see service with the RAAF for the total wartime
operations against Japan. In January 1952, after the war, the
Catalina was declared surplus to requirements.
Following World War II, Rathmines was used as a ground training
base, and the Officers' Training School was formed there along with
training facilities for senior non-commissioned officers, physical
training instructors and national servicemen. In 1962, the Base was
sold to the Lake Macquarie Council. Many buildings were privately
purchased and removed from the site or used by Lake Macquarie
Council as community halls. A large hangar, complete with
electrically-operated doors, which was used for servicing seaplanes
and flying boats, was pulled down and shipped to RAAF Base Richmond
to house the RAAF's then-new C-130A Hercules aircraft.
The original Rathmines base has now been heritage listed by the
NSW State Government and an application for similar recognition has
been made to the Federal Government so that funds may be raised for
the erection of a hangar type Museum from which the Catalina Flying
Memorial’s Catalina, VH-CAT will eventually operate.
The Base has continuing social significance to WWII service
personnel and to the community of Lake Macquarie, who recognise the
site's history and continue to use the site, creating an evolving
landscape which retains significant elements of the RAAF base.
Further information
http://www.catalinaflying.org.au/rathmines.htm
FTF honours to subi-two
