History Re-born as Governor General Gives Tick of Approval to Restoration Work
24 June 2011
Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, The Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, officially re-opened the beautifully restored 96 year old building Cerberus House at HMAS Creswell today after it was brought back to life as part of a $83.6m Redevelopment Project.
Cerberus House was completed in 1915 and the building was originally used to house 13-year-old cadet Midshipmen studying at the Royal Australian Naval College (RANC).
The building also has historical ties to the local Jervis Bay community.
In 1930 the RANC temporarily moved out of Southern New South Wales to HMAS Cerberus, near Melbourne.
The site now known as HMAS Creswell was then leased to private tourist operators who turned Cerberus House into a hotel, calling it ‘Westward Ho guest house’.
This lease allowed holiday makers to enjoy the white sandy beaches and sparkling clear waters of Jervis Bay for around four pounds a week.
In 1958 the RANC returned to Jervis Bay and the base was commissioned and given the name HMAS Creswell.
Cerberus House was used by the college to house classrooms, offices, recreation rooms, historical collections, conference rooms, and an armoury until the mid 1990’s when it succumbed to its age; and in 1999 use of the building ceased.
The restoration work was executed in such a way as to preserve the original architecture and historical integrity of the building, and, where possible, use original materials.
The Governor General also opened Geelong House, a newly built facility constructed on the same site as the former Geelong House circa 1915, which was demolished in 1976.
The history of Geelong House dates back to 1913 and, like Cerberus House, it was home to the earliest students of the Royal Australian Naval College.
During the period 1930 - 1958, Geelong House, like Cerberus House, also accommodated tourists adopting the name ‘Jervis Bay Guest House’ while the RANC was temporarily relocated to Victoria.
The new Geelong House will provide much needed training facilities for the RANC, including classrooms and computer rooms, conference facilities, an auditorium and a finishing kitchen.
Governor General Ms Quentin Bryce said she felt honoured to open the magnificent buildings.
“These buildings have housed the pains and joys of learning, the frustrations and delights of personal development, and the tears and smiles of hard won success,”
“Their value is not in their material reality, but in the people who will pass through them,” she said.
HMAS Creswell’s Commanding Officer Captain Jamie Hatcher says new facilities will enhance training for the Royal Australian Navy’s next generation of leaders for many years to come.
“For the past ten years demountable buildings have substituted for proper recreation facilities for our trainees.’
‘These new and newly restored houses will greatly enhance their training” said CAPT Hatcher.
The Creswell Redevelopment Project also features upgrades to accommodation facilities, a new gymnasium and a new armoury, as well as other infrastructure improvements for the base.
View images of the completed work on the Royal Australian Navy Media Library.
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