NORTH EASTERN AREA BASE CAMP RAAF
LANDSBOROUGH ST, NORTH WARD, TOWNSVILLE
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

 

Air Board Agendum 4878/1943 (meeting date 30 April 1943) recommended the erection of a North Eastern Area Base Camp across two locations for approximately 500 RAAF personnel working in North Eastern Area Headquarters. It called for one camp for 20 Officers and 80 Sergeants at the corner of Warburton and Stuart Streets, North Ward and another camp for 426 airmen at the corner of Paxton and Landsborough Streets, North Ward. The Air Board considered that the two proposed camps should be located at the same site and requested that the recommendation be reconsidered.

Air Board Agendum No. 4918 (Meeting date 21 May 1943) gave approval for the construction of the North Eastern Area Base Camp as a single camp for all ranks on the corner of Landsborough and Paxton Streets providing accommodation for 20 Officers, 80 Sergeants and 432 Airmen at an estimated cost of £31,300 which included an allowance of £1,600 for sewerage.

 


Plan:- NAA

North Eastern Area Base Camp RAAF. The existing camp
for 3 Fighter Sector Headquarters
can be seen at the right

 


Plan:- NAA

Legend for the above NAA plan

 


Photo:- TCC CityLibraries

North Eastern Area Base Camp RAAF near the Grammar State School.

 

Note:- The camp layout in the above photo seems to vary slightly from the above plan held on the National Archives web site. The plan shows three rows of six barracks buildings at right angles to Landsborough Street. The above photo shows only two of those three rows at right angles to Landsborough Street and the buildings in what was meant to be the middle row of six are oriented parallel to Landsborough Street and there appears to be only four buildings.

 

Photo:- TCC CityLibraries

Closeup of the North Eastern Area Base Camp RAAF. The camp to the lower left side of
 the photo next to the NEA Base Camp is 3 Fighter Sector Headquarters Camp area.
No. 3 Fighter Sector Headquarters RAAF occupied the adjacent Grammar School.

 

As a consequence of the release of St. Anne’s Girls School back to school authorities, Air Board Agendum No. 6282/1944 (Date of meeting 15 Dec 1944) called for the need to establish accommodation at the North Eastern Area Base Camp for 200 WAAAF personnel.

To meet this requirement Air Board Agendum No. 6282/1944 stated that on completion of the Stuart Camp, accommodation would be made available at the present Fighter Control Unit Camp at Landsborough Street for 152 WAAAFs, but as 200 were required it was proposed to add additional accommodation at North Eastern Area Base Camp at North Ward, such that it would also be possible to vacate the Townsville Grammar School buildings. It was proposed to erect two additional standard sleeping huts and a standard latrine, ablution and laundry building to accommodate 52 WAAAFs. It would also include additions and alterations to the existing WAAAF Mess and Kitchen. The total cost for all the work was estimated to be £5,400.

 


Photo:- WAAAF Lilli Selg (109209)

Front entrance to NEA Base Camp RAAF

 


Photo:- WAAAF Lilli Selg (109209)

Closeup of sign at front gate

 


Photo:- WAAAF Lilli Selg (109209)

WAAAFs standing outside Barracks No. 17 with Castle Hill in the background

 


Photo:- WAAAF Lilli Selg (109209)

Closeup of WAAAFs outside Barracks No. 17

 


Photo:- Sgt Rosalind Eunice Noakes 92455

Relaxing at NEA Base Camp RAAF

 


Photo:- Sgt Rosalind Eunice Noakes 92455

Barracks at NEA Base Camp RAAF

 

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This page first produced 30 September 2025

This page last updated 30 September 2025