History of HMAS Platypus

The former HMAS Platypus naval base is a waterfront industrial site in one of Sydney's quiet bays, a potent reminder of the harbour's maritime heritage. Today, it sits somewhat incongruously amid Neutral Bay's waterfront residential properties and foreshore parks.

The site's industrial life began in 1876 when a gas works was established to supply gas to North Shore residents. In the inner city coal gas was used to light the streets. The gas works built on the harbourside location by the North Shore Gas Company was the first gas works north of the harbour. Coal was delivered here by ship and transported around the site using a system of trolleys and overhead tramways. The coal was then burnt in ‘retorts' to manufacture gas. For the next 50 years the gas works operated on the site, growing at several stages to meet Sydney's increasing demand.

Over the 50 years of use as a gas works excavation and land reclamation modified the site's topography as the works expanded. As a result, the site contains significant contamination.

In 1942 the Commonwealth Government resumed part of the gas works site for the Royal Australian Navy's torpedo maintenance establishment which serviced the Australian, British and US navies in the south Pacific during World War II.

HMAS Platypus was commissioned in 1967 as the base for the Royal Australian Navy's recently established submarine fleet. For the next 30 years the navy's six Oberon class submarines operated from the site. While the submarines operated from the waterfront, the Navy's torpedo workshops occupied the south of the site, and the gasworks on the upper level stored and supplied gas locally.

In 1999 the government relocated its submarine base to HMAS Stirling in Western Australia and the torpedo workshops closed down.

The Harbour Trust took over management of the site in 2005.

The site is currently closed to the public.