CANBERRA, ACT. — On November 7, 1911, the Federal Parliament selected Captain’s Point, Jervis Bay, as the site of the future Royal Australian Naval College. As the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was inland, it was determined that the national seat of government needed access to the ocean, so the Jervis Bay Territory was surrendered by New South Wales to the Commonwealth in 1915 under the “Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915.”
From the time that Australia was first colonised in 1788, up until 1859, Australia’s naval defence depended on detachments from the Royal Navy in Sydney.
Australia established a separate British naval station in 1859, and a Royal Navy squadron, paid for and maintained by Australia, remained in Australian waters until 1913.
In 1909, the decision was made to establish an Australian Fleet Unit. The first ships comprising this fleet arrived in Australian waters during November of 1910.
These Commonwealth Naval Forces became the Royal Australian Navy on 10 July 1911, following the granting of this title by King George V.
