View source for Devonport Naval Base

{{Short description|Main base of the Royal New Zealand Navy in Auckland}}
{{About|the Royal New Zealand Navy base in Auckland|the Royal Navy base in Plymouth|HMNB Devonport}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{RNZN}}
[[Image:Command Building At Devonport Base.jpg|214px|thumb|right|The base headquarters building.]]
[[Image:Devonport Naval Base.JPG|214px|thumb|right|[[HMNZS Canterbury (L421)|''Canterbury'']] berthed at the base.]]
{{Maplink|frame=yes|type=shape|text=Map of the Devonport Naval Base}}

'''Devonport Naval Base''' is the home of the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]], located at [[Devonport, New Zealand]] on [[Auckland]]'s [[North Shore, New Zealand|North Shore]]. It is currently the only base of the navy that operates ships, and has been in use as a navy base since 1841.<ref name="MUSEUM"/> The base consists of [[HMNZS Philomel|HMNZS ''Philomel'']] (the administration centre for the base), the Fleet Support Organisation, and the Fleet Personnel and Training Organisation.

==History==
In the 1840s the first naval station in New Zealand was established at Devonport. Devonport was chosen due to the deep water of the harbour.<ref>{{cite report|url=https://knowledgeauckland.org.nz/media/1737/tr2011-010-north-shore-heritage-thematic-review-vol-1-july-2011.pdf |title=North Shore Heritage - Thematic Review Report Volume 1 |author=Heritage Consultancy Services |publisher=[[Auckland Council]] |date=1 July 2011 |isbn=978-1-927169-21-6 |access-date=29 June 2023}}</ref>
== Operation ==

All operational units of the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] are based at Devonport. The Navy's munitions are stored and maintained at [[Kauri Point Armament Depot]] in Auckland. Senior naval staff are located at the NZDF headquarters in [[Wellington City|Wellington]]. The operational headquarters, and the effective fleet commander, the [[Maritime Component Commander (New Zealand)|Maritime Component Commander]] are both located at [[Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand]] adjacent to [[Trentham Military Camp]] in the [[Upper Hutt]] suburb of [[Trentham, New Zealand|Trentham]]. Within the Royal New Zealand Navy many land-based facilities and services ensure support for ships and personnel when deployed.

== Facilities ==

Shore based support is predominantly based at the Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, with a long and varied list of services and facilities, including facilities for training, sports, and cultural activities, dry dock, as well as engineering and flight support and the [[Navy Hospital, Devonport|Navy Hospital (and Hyperbaric Unit)]].

== Maritime Engineering Support Team ==

The Navy’s fleet of ships are maintained by the Maritime Engineering Support Team (MEST). The MEST is based at Devonport Naval Base and is a blended workforce of Navy personnel in the Defence Logistics Command (Maritime) and Babcock New Zealand employees. Babcock New Zealand is the Strategic Maritime Partner for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

The base also has a modern converter system to supply the substantial power even a berthed navy ship requires. As NZ's navy ships use [[NATO]] standard 60-hertz power, such converters were needed to enable the base to use power supplied by the national grid. The new converters were installed in the late 2000s for $10 million, and will offer significant savings over using diesel generators, or having the vessels use their own power systems while in port.<ref>''A question of Frequency'' - ''e.nz magazine'', [[Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand|IPENZ]], November/December 09, Page 24</ref>

=== RNZN College ===

The RNZN College is also situated at Devonport Naval Base. Navy training encompasses numerous disciplines, from Recruit Training Squadron, Junior Officer Common Training and Sea Survival Training Squadron to specialised training for Operational, Technical and Trade, and Support Logistics branches.

=== Calliope Dock ===
{{Main|Calliope Dock}}

One of the more famous elements of the base is the Calliope Dock, a [[drydock]] built in 1888 and still in use. At that time, it was the largest in the [[Southern Hemisphere]], and a strategic asset for the [[Royal Navy]]. It was named for Calliope Point, out of which it had been hewn by hand over three years. Coincidentally, one of the two first ships to enter it (as a show of her capacity) was {{HMS|Calliope|1884|6}}. Administered at first by the [[Auckland Harbour Board]], the dock was transferred to the navy when the Auckland naval base moved from [[Torpedo Bay, New Zealand|Torpedo Bay]] to Devonport, into a swamp area next to the dock.<ref name="MUSEUM">[http://navymuseum.co.nz/shore-establishments-in-new-zealand Devonport Naval Base] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703112740/http://navymuseum.co.nz/shore-establishments-in-new-zealand/ |date=2015-07-03 }} (from the New Zealand Naval Museum website. Accessed 2015-07-05.)</ref><ref>[http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/S/ShipsFamous/Calliope/en Calliope] (from [[Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand]], 1966 Edition. Accessed 2008-06-16.)</ref><ref>''[http://www.rnzncomms.net.nz/navy/documents/history/navalrepairfacilities.html Development of naval repair facilities at Auckland, New Zealand 1841-1962] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201129/http://www.rnzncomms.net.nz/navy/documents/history/navalrepairfacilities.html |date=2007-09-27 }}'' - Bell, J.A.; AMRINA Deputy Constructive Manager HMNZ Dockyard</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Devonport Naval Base}}
* [http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-base/default.htm HMNZS PHILOMEL] (official base website)
* [http://navymuseum.co.nz/ Navy Museum] (official museum website) ''(accessed 2014-01-27)''
* [http://www.crime.co.nz/c-files.asp?ID=21 Auckland Naval Base Murders] (from the crime.co.nz website)
* [https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/photos/search/searchterm/Devonport%20Naval%20Base Photographs of Devonport Naval Base] held in [[Auckland Libraries|Auckland Libraries']] heritage collections.

{{Coord|-36.830241|174.786236|type:landmark_region:NZ|display=title}}

{{Royal Navy shore establishments}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Royal New Zealand Navy bases]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Auckland]]
[[Category:North Shore, New Zealand]]
[[Category:Waitematā Harbour]]