- Author
- A.N. Other and NHSA Webmaster
- Subjects
- History - general
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- HMAS Cerberus (Shore Establishment)
- Publication
- April 1992 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Often referred to as The Cradle of the Navy, HMAS CERBERUS is the premier training establishment of the Royal Australian Navy and has a complement of 132 Officers, 310 Senior Sailors and 460 Junior Sailors. The number of officers and Sailors under training at any one time averages 1150, giving a total population of about 2000 serving members. Of these, approximately 450 have families living locally in married quarters, rented accommodation or in their own homes, thus increasing the numbers associated with the base considerably. On average, 5000 personnel, representing nearly one third of the Navy’s total number, pass through CERBERUS’S gates each year.
Eleven Schools are located within the Establishment:
- CommunicationsSchool
- Dental
- Defence Force Physical Training School
- Gunnery School
- Management School
- Marine Engineering School
- Medical School
- Recruit School
- Seamanship School
- Supply School
- Weapons Electrical Engineering School
Together with the Gunnery Range at West Head, near Flinders, these schools comprise one of the most diverse training complexes in Australia, offering over 300 different courses varying in duration from one to sixty-three weeks.
To support the needs of the Schools, the Trainees and the Ship’s Company, HMAS CERBERUS is divided into a number of departments, with each having its own specific area of responsibility.
The Ship’s Badge
The motto is “Forever Vigilant”
According to Greek Mythology, Cerberus is the three-headed guardian of the gates of Hades.
Since the 18th century the name has been borne by various ships of the Royal Navy. The last sea-going ship of this name was guard ship in Port Phillip Bay for many years from 1871 onwards. She then became a training ship, finally paying-off in 1921 when the name ‘Cerberus’ passed to the Royal Australian Navy’s largest training establishment, situated at Western Port Bay, Victoria.
Location of HMAS Cerberus
HMAS CERBERUS is located between Stony and Sandy Points on the Mornington Peninsula. It covers an area of 1522.8 hectares and is approximately 70km south of Melbourne.
The main access route from Melbourne is the Nepean Highway to Frankston then Frankston/ Flinders Road to Bittern, then left along Stony Point Road.