Soundings Papers: RAN Naval Base Requirements to the Year 2100

The Royal Australian Navy has five naval bases located in Sydney, Rockingham, Darwin and Cairns. The last to enter service was HMAS Stirling, also referred to as Fleet Base West, in 1978 following the adoption of a two-ocean navy policy. Over time, these bases have been upgraded, modernised, and wharves extended to meet the growing needs of the Fleet and to accommodate an increasing number of ships that are trending upward in size. All of these bases are currently either undergoing or are scheduled for further expansion or modernisation. However, there will come the point where development will reach a natural limit due to being constrained by external factors such as geography and urban encroachment.