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Defence Establishment Orchard Hills

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Coordinates: 33°48′44″S 150°41′31″E / 33.812264°S 150.6918705°E / -33.812264; 150.6918705
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Defence Establishment Orchard Hills
Orchard Hills, Sydney, New South Wales in Australia
Defence Establishment Orchard Hills is located in Sydney
Defence Establishment Orchard Hills
Defence Establishment Orchard Hills
Location in Greater Sydney
Coordinates33°48′44″S 150°41′31″E / 33.812264°S 150.6918705°E / -33.812264; 150.6918705
Type
Area1,740 hectares (4,300 acres)
Site information
OwnerDepartment of Defence
Operator Royal Australian Air Force
Site history
In use1940s – present
Garrison information
OccupantsDefence Explosive Ordnance Training School

Defence Establishment Orchard Hills (abbreviated as DEOH) is a tri-service munitions storage base of particular importance to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Located in Orchard Hills, in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, the main role of the establishment is for storage, maintenance and distribution of Explosive Ordnance such as Bombs, Bullets, Missiles, and other military explosives. The base is also home to the RAAF-run Defence Explosive Ordnance Training School, which provides training in handling explosives to all branches of the Australian Defence Force, public servants and contractor personnel.[1]

As well as the storage of munitions, other activities carried out on the 1,740-hectare (4,300-acre) site include the use of weapon ranges, firing ranges, fire training areas, and fuel storage and distribution from above ground and underground storage tanks. The site also contains a sewerage treatment plant, and two landfills for waste disposal from both site operations and general non-putrescible refuse, including building rubble.[2]

Also located on site is the privately owned Thales Ordnance Training Centre, an accredited registered training organisation that provides qualifications specific to explosives, and covering the disciplines of storage, transport, manufacture and proofing of explosive ordnance.[3]

Environmental Offset for Western Sydney Airport

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Defence Establishment Orchard Hills encompasses a significant area of critically endangered and protected Cumberland Plain Woodland,[4][5] which is endemic to the Western Sydney region.[6]

During siting and construction of the Western Sydney (Nancy Bird-Walton) Airport, it was announced that Defence Establishment Orchard Hills would serve as an environmental offset to compensate for destruction of the woodland associated with clearing of the airport; over 900-hectares of Defence Establishment Orchard Hills was set aside for this purpose.[7]

Concerns

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Part of the area established as the environmental offset has since been cleared to allow construction of a carpark for a new facility within the establishment.[8]

Other groups have raised concerns that because the property is owned by the Federal Government and was already listed for protection and conservation, it does not serve as an effective offset for the new construction.[9]

Base Redevelopment

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From 2019 the base saw a significant investment in infrastructure, particularly as a result of the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan.[10] In 2019, a $95m AUD Naval Guided Weapons Maintenance Facilities Project was announced, and the facility was due to be completed by July 2021[11] but officially opened by the then Minister for Defence Peter Dutton on 5 April 2022.

On 23 July 2019, the Australian Government published an Approach To Market for a major base redevelopment. The scope of the work included:[12]

  • Potable and Fire Water networks
  • Electrical Distribution (HV/LV) network (new dedicated supply)
  • Base Entry & Security (perimeter fence, lighting, CCTV, road network improvements)
  • Approx. 160 Level 3 Living In Accommodation, new replacement
  • Defence EO Training School – new consolidated training, instructional and administrative facilities, demolition of old
  • Gymnasium – new construction
  • Messes – new construction cater for staff, trainees and visitors
  • Waste Water – connection to Sydney Water sewer remove, remediate, refurbish as needed
  • EO storage – new Ammunition Process Facility, incl. demolish old
  • New EO Services Contractor working accommodation (replace Bldg N109) incl. demolish old
  • Working accommodation – new consolidated, demolish old.

The project is valued between $300m and $400m AUD, and construction is expected to commence towards the end of 2023.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Air Force Training Group". Department of Defence, Australian Government. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Defence Establishment Orchard Hills, New South Wales" (PDF). Department of Defence. Australian Government. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Armaments Services" (PDF). Thales Australia. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Cumberland Plain Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion - profile | NSW Environment, Energy and Science". www.environment.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  5. ^ Australian Government (2003). "Distribution of Areas of High Conservation Significance - Orchard Hills" (PDF). Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  6. ^ Australian Government (2010). Cumberland Plain Shale Woodlands and Shale-Gravel Transition Forest (PDF). Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (Report). Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Biodiversity Offset Delivery Plan". Western Sydney Airport. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  8. ^ Cox, Lisa (1 May 2022). "Bushland marked as environmental offset for new Sydney airport bulldozed for car park". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  9. ^ Cox, Lisa (1 August 2021). "Environment officials questioned use of land government already owned as offset for western Sydney airport". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  10. ^ Milne, Sandy (1 July 2020). "Government details budget boost in major wins for all states". www.defenceconnect.com.au. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  11. ^ Hartigan, Brian (21 November 2019). "New Navy missile facility for Orchard Hills". CONTACT magazine. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Closed ATM View - AZ6214: AusTender". www.tenders.gov.au. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Defence Establishment Orchard Hills Redevelopment". gateway.icn.org.au. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
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