HMAS Kuttabul

Community Notice

Environmental Hotline (02) 9359 3077

Commanding Officer: Captain Viktor Pilicic

The HMAS Kuttabul gangway is located in Macleay Street, Potts Point, NSW. Situated above the historic Garden Island (GI) Dockyard facility, HMAS Kuttabul’s primary role is to provide administrative, training and logistics support to defence personnel, both uniform and civilian, employed within the Sydney area.

Training

Fleet Support Unit Sydney (FSU-SE)

Fleet Support Unit South East in Sydney is the Navy's uniformed maintenance activity ashore. FSU-SE conducts maintenance on the ships and submarines so that they can get on and do their job of fighting and winning at sea. Our core function these days is to provide the ships and submarines with competent, trained and motivated sailors.

Boat docking facility.

FSU-SE is housed in several large workshops fitted with machinery, plant and tools. Our workshops cover an extensive amount of real estate at Fleet Base East. FSU-SE consists of sailors from backgrounds in Guided Missile Frigates, Anzac Class Ships, Auxiliary Ships and Submarines. The people at FSU-SE include Marine and Electronics Technicians and Boatswains Mate category personnel. Our training and mentoring role is enhanced by the inclusion of a Skills Development Centre, where the newly trained technicians from the Navy's initial training pipeline undertake consolidation training and competency progression.

In order to maintain the competence and currency of our people, FSU-SE engage in maintenance activities, conduct related projects and undertake competency progression training. To keep our people motivated we provide them with meaningful work, sufficient leave opportunities, professional development opportunities and skills development.

FSU-SE also has a Survival Equipment workshop that looks after liferafts, lifejackets and other vital sea survival equipment. Additionally, Fleet Support Unit South East has a ship's husbandry workshop that engages in corrosion control, blasting and specialised painting activities.

Maintenance activities.

FSU-SE has many capabilities, from metal fabrication to the production of signs and stickers. We have a significant woodworking and metal fabrication area run by our shipwrights, including a small boat docking facility. Fleet Support Unit South East has a mechanical workshop consisting of many items of heavy machinery, several electronics and communications equipment workshops, a high power workshop, and a weapons workshop.

Divisional system

For all sailors throughout the Navy, the divisional system will be in place for you. You will continue to be managed and supervised by either a Leading Hand or senior sailor. You will have a divisional officer who will be there to give you directions and instructions, provide guidance, advice, discipline and monitor your well being and morale.

Lifestyle and recreation

Accommodation and meals

Officers and Senior Sailors

Officers and Senior Sailors take their meals in the First Fleet Mess, meals are served three times per day. A wide variety of wholesome and tasty food is on offer with at least three main choices at every meal including a vegetarian option.

Accommodation is comfortable and tidy and every officer has their own personal cabin with a single bed, desk with shelves and a wardrobe.

Ship's company accommodation

Ship's company accommodation blocks are a large multi-storey block. Cabins are comfortable and fairly spacious, and include a single bed, desk with shelves and a wardrobe. You share toilets and showers with other members of ship's company (including females). Laundry is located on the ground floor.

Kuttabul cabin.

Fleet accommodation office

Kuttabul provides short term accommodation and meals for those personnel attending courses and training as well as those in transit waiting for their ship to come alongside.

Living ashore

Service Accommodation at HMAS Kuttabul is limited, and officers, senior sailors and junior sailors have the choice of living ashore in private accommodation on Rental Allowance (RA). Meal allowance is also payable.

Duties

Ship's company sailor's duties include cooks working in the main galley, writer sailors undertaking admin duties at Fleet Command or physical trainers working hard on Bondi Beach (supervising beach volleyball).

First Fleet Mess

The First Fleet Mess for Officers, Warrant Officers and Senior Sailors at HMAS Kuttabul has comfortable chairs, quiet/reading room and TV lounge, available for use by all mess members and visiting personnel.

For junior sailors, HMAS Kuttabul has an excellent junior sailors mess 'Port Jackson Club' and a view of Sydney Harbour that is spectacular to say the least.

View from JS Mess Kuttabul.

Recreation space has a large TV and DVD player, lounge chairs and a fridge. Recreation facilities also allow junior sailors to unwind and relax and bring friends (civilian guests) onboard. Facilities include cable TV (Foxtel), snooker, darts and of course a well stocked bar that serves alcohol (not to personnel under 18 years of age).

Sport

It is a mandatory requirement that all personnel are healthy, fit and active and ready to deploy, and sport is therefore encouraged and supported throughout the fleet and establishments. The ADF is the only organisation that pays you to play sport, eg, golf, adventure training, sailing Aussie Rules and rugby union. (just to name a few). If you are really good you can be selected to play for Navy in Inter-Service competitions against Army and RAAF, and play all around Australia and possibly overseas.

Sport is a popular activity for all trainees whether they're really good at it or really bad at it - everyone has a go. A variety of team sports ensure everyone has the chance to show off or learn something new and playing together as a team or playing against each other get into the spirit of the sporting.

Fleet Base East (Kuttabul) has a modern well equipped gymnasium, which includes weights, cardio machine such as rowing, cycling and walking on the roof top floor of the main accommodation block.

Extra-curricular activities

From time to time, officers and ship's company including trainees will be required to undertake outside activities such as leadership expeditions out bush. small arms training and adventure training. Personnel will also be required to undertake guard training for specific events, such as ‘Navy Open Day at GI’.

Leave

If you are not rostered for duty, and have no service commitments, then personnel can proceed 'ashore' on local evening/overnight leave.

Note: If you are under 18 years of age, then you are required to return to quarters before 11:59pm.

Geographical and demographic information

If you are lucky enough to be posted to Kuttabul, you will be located right in the heart of Sydney, within walking distance of the Harbour. Regular buses to the city run outside the main gate. Frequent trains to Bondi and Central (City Circle) from Kings Cross underground railway station operates 24/7.

Beaches on the north shore such as Manly is less than an hour drive away (or you can take the Manly Ferry or other various public transports that runs regularly). You can avail yourself to the regular outdoor activities such as swimming, beach volleyball or windsurfing.