Does the name Sub Base Platypus sound a bit odd? Well, there’s a fascinating story behind it. This area served crucial roles in Australia’s history. It evolved from a gasworks to a torpedo factory and finally a submarine base.
Sub Base Platypus was once Cammeraygal land. The Cammeraygal people used this area for food, shelter, and tools. They camped in sandstone caves and lived off the land and sea. Wurru-birri and Wéyé Wéyé were the names for surrounding areas in the early 1800s.
In 1877, the site became the Neutral Bay Gasworks. James Fell and Charles Watt, former AGL employees, established it. They supplied gas to North Shore residents. Coal arrived by boat and was heated in retorts. The gas was then purified and distributed. The North Shore Gas Company took over in 1883. They expanded the plant as the population grew. A coal store was built after a strike disrupted supplies. In 1917, a larger plant opened at Oyster Cove. The Neutral Bay Gasworks closed in 1932 due to the Great Depression.
During World War II, the site transformed into a torpedo factory. The government converted the gasworks in 1942. This factory supplied torpedoes to Allied navies in the South Pacific. About 200 civilians worked here and one in four were women. Despite the factory’s output, none of its torpedoes were used in the war. After the war, it serviced British and Australian naval fleets.
In 1967, Sub Base Platypus was commissioned as a submarine base. It became the operational headquarters for the Australian Submarine Squadron. The name Platypus was chosen for its similarity to submarines. Platypuses use electroreceptors to locate food underwater. Submarines use sonar to detect objects. HMAS Platypus housed workshops, medical facilities, and a submarine school.
As a concession to the locals concerned about noise and pollution, the wharf allowed for the charging of submarine batteries via shore services instead of noisy diesel engines.
However, the site was deemed unsuitable for new Collins-class submarines in the 1990s. In 1999, the base was relocated to Western Australia.
In 2005, the government handed the site over to the Harbour Trust. The goal was to rehabilitate it as a public park. Extensive remediation works were carried out. In 2017, the site was renamed Sub Base Platypus. A memorial honoring Australian submariners was unveiled.
Sub Base Platypus opened to the public in May 2018. It was the first time in 150 years. Today, it’s a community hub. It has an overwater walkway and a harbourside promenade. The maritime-themed playground in Oberon Park pays homage to the site’s history.
In 2021, Sub Base Platypus received the Walter Burley Griffin Award for urban design. The former Torpedo Factory was revitalized into a public space in 2023. Wirra Birra Park opened in 2024, providing a space to connect with the land.
So next time you hear the name Sub Base Platypus, remember its layered past. From ancient Cammeraygal land to a vital naval base, it is now a place for everyone to enjoy.