RAAF Base Rathmines

RAAF Base Rathmines is a heritage-listed former RAAF Second World War seaplane base and now used as community venues, sports venues and a visitor attraction at Dorrington Road, Rathmines, City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. It was in use as an RAAF base from 1939 to 1961. It is also known as Rathmines Park, former RAAF Seaplane Base, Flying Boat Base, Rathmines Aerodrome and Catalina Base. The property is owned by Australian Christadelphian Bible School, Disability Life Enrichment, Don Geddes Nursing Home and Lake Macquarie City Council. The remains of the former air base was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 25 November 2005.

RAAF Base Rathmines was established in 1939 and was the RAAF's main flying boat base during the Second World War and the early 1950s. During the war, aircraft based at Rathmines conducted anti-submarine patrols along the Australian east coast and the base was home to the RAAF's main seaplane training units. In addition, detachments from squadrons based at Rathmines flew numerous offensive mine laying missions into Japanese-held territory (due to Rathmines' distance from the front line, these aircraft staged through bases in Northern Australia when travelling to and from their targets). Rathmines was also the RAAF Maritime Section's main training base.

The Awabakal were the first peoples of Lake Macquarie. Awaba is the Aboriginal name for the region and Ninkinbah was the Aboriginal name for Lake Macquarie. There are several sites within Rathmines Park that demonstrate Aboriginal use of the area and provide local Aboriginal people with a tangible link to past land use practices.

Early European settlement around Rathmines took place in the 1840s with the name of Rathmines derived from the Hely family that came from a town named Rathmines, located near Dublin, Ireland. The Hely family built a homestead and farmed a significant portion of the land that now makes up Rathmines Park.

The Rathmines site on the shores of Lake Macquarie was identified as a possible place for a flying boat base in 1936, when the Director of Duties, RAAF HQ Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, gave instructions to investigate and recommend a site for a flying boat base in the Newcastle region. A ground and water survey of the bay and inlet was undertaken, and while the Rathmines site was the second recommendation, it was considered as the most likely site, and was chosen to be the site.

During July 1938, No 5 Squadron from RAAF Base Richmond was sent to investigate landing areas and sites around the Lake Macquarie area for the establishment of the Rathmines Base and the eventual move of the squadron. On 1 January 1939, the No 5 Squadron was renamed No 9 (Fleet Cooperation) Squadron. Further surveys of the area were made in August 1939 and, in September, camp was set up, and arrangements were made to rent local cottages as living quarters. The base became operational when the No 9 Squadron transferred from RAAF Point Cook, Victoria, to Rathmines, with Seagull flying boats. Catalina flying boats arrived at the base in February 1941 and, by September 1943, the base comprised 14 Catalinas, two Seagulls, a Dornier and a Dolphin. During training, many personnel brought their families to live in the towns and villages near the Rathmines Base which influenced the establishment of other services such a school and post office.

Rathmines was an important base for the Catalina flying boats and their squadrons, which played a significant role in Australia's RAAF defensive operations during the Second World War. The RAAF operated 168 between 1941 and 1950, flown by four front line squadrons, two communications units and three air-sea rescue flights during the war. The Catalina flying boats were the only aircraft to see service with the RAAF for the total wartime operations against Japan.

Catalina operations included reconnaissance bombing, mine laying, supplying troops, coast watches and air-sea rescue missions. RAAF Catalinas were famous for their precision laying of mines in enemy water ways and harbours. The Catalina flying boat was one of the durable and effective aircraft of the war, due to their range, endurance and good load carrying capacity. Consequently, they were used by almost all the Allied services including the Royal Air Force and RAAF. Although it was one of the slowest combat aircraft of the war, it outsold all the newer, faster and better-equipped replacements of other manufacturers. Flying boats such as the Catalina placed a special demand on training air crews who not only learnt to fly the aircraft but needed to learn manoeuvres in sea conditions which was usually associated with naval operations. The famous Black Cats were used on covert night operations mine laying just about every enemy port in the South West Pacific Area, operations extending as far as the Chinese coast. During these operations, 322 aircrew were lost.