This is a list of commissioned naval bases of the Royal New Zealand Navy from its formation on 1 October 1941 to the present. The Royal New Zealand Navy follows the British tradition of commissioning land naval bases as though they were ships. The administrative structures that work for a ship work just as well for a land establishment. The commander of a ship can become the commander of a land establishment, and be entirely comfortable with the way the place is run. This simplifies the overall administration of the navy. For this reason, naval bases are sometimes referred to as stone frigates.
In earlier times or in wartime, naval bases actually were ships. HMS Philomel was an old cruiser which functioned as New Zealand's first naval base. HMNZS Kahu was a Fairmile B motor launch, and it functioned as an administrative base for the Fairmile flotillas during World War II.
It is also in this tradition for land establishments to be associated with one or more "name ships". However this association is largely ceremonial.
List of bases
| Name | Name ships | Dates | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMNZS Cook | Harptree HDML 1183 | 1943–44 1944–46 | Clyde Quay, Wellington Shelly Bay, Wellington | |
| HMNZS Cook II | HMNZS Kahu | 1943–44 | Solomon Islands | Administrative base for Fairmile flotillas |
| HMNZS Irirangi | SDML P3554 | 1951–93 | Waiouru | Formerly Waiouru W/T Station. Radio intercept station |
| HMNZS Ngapona | 1950–current | Auckland | Naval Reserve training base Has a satellite unit at Tauranga | |
| HMNZS Olphert | 1928–current | Wellington | Naval Reserve training base | |
| HMNZS Pegasus | 1928–current | Christchurch | Naval Reserve training base | |
| HMNZS Philomel | HMNZS Philomel | 1923–41 1941–47 1947–current | Devonport | Was HMS Philomel Main RNZN Logistics and Training Base |
| HMNZS Philomel II | 1948–53 | Wellington | Renamed Wakefield | |
| HMNZS Tamaki[1] | 1941–63 1963–2000 | Motuihi Island Fort Cautley, Narrow Neck | Training base Training base Now part of HMNZS Philomel | |
| HMNZS Tasman | 1944–56 1975–? | Lyttelton Devonport | ||
| HMNZS Toroa | ?–current | Dunedin | Naval Reserve training base | |
| HMNZS Wakefield | 1954–current | Wellington | Command and administration staff for naval personnel resident outside the Greater Auckland area. Formerly Philomel II | |
| HMNZS Waiouru [2] | 1943–51 | Waiouru | W/T Station. Renamed Irirangi |
HMNZ Dockyard is managed by Babcock New Zealand Ltd on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff through a commercial management agreement.[3] This is not a commissioned ship; it is instead analogous to HMNB Devonport or HMNB Portsmouth.
See also
Notes
References
- Walters, Sydney David (1956) The Royal New Zealand Navy: Official History of World War II, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington Online
- McDougall, R J (1989) New Zealand Naval Vessels., Page 157-160. Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-477-01399-4
- Royal New Zealand Navy – Official web site