HMAS Stirling
Australian naval base near Perth
title: "HMAS Stirling" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["royal-australian-navy-bases", "airports-in-western-australia", "cockburn-sound", "military-installations-established-in-1978", "1978-establishments-in-australia", "buildings-and-structures-in-perth,-western-australia", "military-installations-in-western-australia"] description: "Australian naval base near Perth" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Stirling" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Australian naval base near Perth ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox military installation"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | HMAS Stirling |
| partof | Fleet Base West |
| location | , Western Australia |
| nearest_town | |
| country | Australia |
| image | HMAS Stirling.png |
| caption | Coat of arms of HMAS Stirling |
| image2 | |
| type | Naval base and military airport |
| coordinates | |
| ownership | Department of Defence |
| operator | Royal Australian Navy |
| controlledby | |
| open_to_public | |
| site_other_label | |
| site_other | |
| site_area | |
| code | |
| built | |
| used | |
| height | |
| length | |
| fate | |
| current_commander | Captain Ken Burleigh, RAN |
| past_commanders | |
| garrison | |
| occupants | |
| footnotes | |
| :: |
| name = HMAS Stirling | ensign = | ensign_size = | native_name = | partof = Fleet Base West | location = , Western Australia | nearest_town = | country = Australia | image = HMAS Stirling.png | alt = | caption = Coat of arms of HMAS Stirling | image2 = | alt2 = | caption2 = | type = Naval base and military airport | coordinates = | gridref = | image_map = | image_mapsize = | image_map_alt = | image_map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_image = | pushpin_label = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_mark = | pushpin_marksize = | ownership = Department of Defence | operator = Royal Australian Navy | controlledby = | open_to_public = | site_other_label = | site_other = | site_area = | code = | built = | used = | builder = | materials = | height = | length = | fate = | condition = | battles = | events = | current_commander = Captain Ken Burleigh, RAN | past_commanders = | garrison = | occupants = | website = | footnotes = | name = HMAS Stirling | nativename = | nativename-a = | nativename-r = | image = | image-width = 200px | caption = | IATA = | ICAO = YGAD | type = Military | owner = | operator = Royal Australian Navy | city-served = | location = , Western Australia | elevation-f = 30 | coordinates = | pushpin_map = Western Australia | pushpin_label = YGAD | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Western Australia | website = | metric-rwy = Y | r1-number = 05/23 | r1-length-m = 450 | r1-surface = Asphalt | stat-year = | stat1-header = | stat1-data = | stat2-header = | stat2-data = | footnotes = Sources: AIP
'*HMAS Stirling''' is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base that is part of Fleet Base West situated on the west coast of Australia, on the Indian Ocean. The base is located on Garden Island in the state of Western Australia, near the city of Perth. Garden Island also has its own military airport on the island . HMAS *Stirling'' is currently under the command of Captain Ken Burleigh, RAN
History
HMAS Stirling is named after Admiral Sir James Stirling (28 January 1791 – 23 April 1865). Stirling, a Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator, landed on Garden Island, Western Australia in 1827 and returned as commander of the barque Parmelia in June 1829 to establish and administer the Swan River Colony in Western Australia. He was the first Governor of Western Australia, serving between 1828 and 1838.
The planning of Stirling began in 1969 when, after it was decided to create the Two-Ocean Policy, a feasibility study into the use of Garden Island as a naval base was begun. The 4.3 km causeway linking the island with the mainland was completed in June 1973. Construction of the wharves and workshops began in early 1973 and accommodation in 1975 with the facility, including the new Fleet Base West, being formally commissioned on 28 July 1978.
The first major unit to call Fleet Base West home was HMAS Stuart, having first been assigned to Stirling in 1984 for several years and, after refitting in the east, again in 1988 until decommissioning in 1991. The first submarine to be based at Stirling was HMAS Oxley in 1987. Later, the headquarters of the Australian Submarine Squadron was relocated there in 1994.
Stirling has expanded significantly within its existing boundaries and is the largest of the RAN's shore establishment, with a base population of approximately 2,300 service personnel, 600 defence civilians and 500 contractors. Amenities included berthing and wharves, vessel repair and refit services, a ship-lift, and a helicopter support facility, as well as medical facilities, fuel storage and accommodation. The base also hosts the Submarine Escape Training Facility – one of only six in the world and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere.
Garden Island
Main article: Garden Island (Western Australia)
Garden Island is 10 km in length, 1.5 km wide, and is 13 km2 in area, with Stirling occupying approximately 28% of that area. The remaining portion of the Island is nature reserve, the navy has been active in the removal of introduced flora and fauna species. The island has its own quarantine conditions, which prohibit bringing of plants and animals to the island.
Submarine Rotational Forces
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/USS_Emory_S.Land(AS-39)and_USS_Hawaii(SSN-776)_at_HMAS_Stirling,_Western_Australia,_August_2024_09.jpg" caption="The [[USS Emory S. Land (AS-39)]] and [[USS Hawaii (SSN-776)]] at HMAS Stirling in August 2024"] ::
In March 2023, the US, UK and Australia announced, as part the AUKUS security partnership, the Submarine Rotational Forces-West (SRF-W) initiative whereby the US and UK would maintain a permanent rotational presence of nuclear-powered submarines at the base. Under the AUKUS partnership, US and UK submarines will visit *Stirling''' more frequently and remain for longer. Australia's nuclear-propelled submarines will be based at *Stirling'' from the early 2030s.
::data[format=table]
| Vessel | Class | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Astute | Astute-class submarine | October 2021 | United Kingdom |
| USS North Carolina | Virginia-class submarine | August 2023 | title=USS Minnesota (SSN 783) arrived in Western Australia on February 25, 2025 |
| USS Annapolis | Virginia-class submarine | March 2024 | United States |
| USS Emory S. Land | Emory S. Land-class submarine tender | August 2024 | last=Shelbourne |
| USS Hawaii | Virginia-class submarine | August – September 2024 | United States |
| USS Minnesota | Virginia-class submarine | February – March 2025 | United States |
| USS Vermont | Virginia-class submarine | October - November 2025 | United States |
| :: |
Ships stationed
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HMAS_Sheean_01_gnangarra.jpg" caption="HMAS ''Sheean'' (front left), HMAS ''Collins'' (front right), HMAS ''Sirius'' (back left) and ex-HMAS ''Westralia'' at HMAS ''Stirling'' in 2006"] ::
Stirling is home port to 10 fleet units, including four Anzac class frigates, all six of the Collins class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service, and a replenishment vessel.
- Anzac-class frigate, helicopter
- Collins-class submarine, guided missile
- Supply-class auxiliary oiler replenishment
- Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel
- Other
References
References
- {{AIP AU. YGAD
- (2014). "HMAS Stirling Naval Base, Garden Island, Australia".
- Crowley, F.K.. (1967). "Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2". Melbourne University Press.
- "HMAS Stirling". Royal Australian Navy.
- "Defence Environmental Management".
- (13 March 2023). "Fact sheet: Trilateral Australia-UK-US Partnership on Nuclear-Powered Submarines". [[GOV.UK]].
- (2023-03-14). "Perth to become 'home' to AUKUS nuclear submarines under $8 billion naval base expansion". ABC News.
- "Work ongoing for UK Astute class submarine presence at HMAS Stirling, Australia.". The Submarine Family.
- "USS Minnesota (SSN 783) arrived in Western Australia on February 25, 2025". Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
- Shelbourne, Mallory. (23 August 2023). "U.S. Attack Sub Pulls into Australia for Repairs in Early AUKUS Step". [[USNI News]].
- Shelbourne, Mallory. (23 August 2023). "U.S. Attack Sub Pulls into Australia for Repairs in Early AUKUS Step". [[USNI News]].
- (29 October 2025). "Australia getting set for Submarine Rotational Force - West". [[Australian Defence Force]].
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