Cootamundra World War II Fuel Depot facts for kids

The Cootamundra World War II Fuel Depot is a special historical site in Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia. It used to be a place where fuel for planes was stored during World War II. It was built between 1941 and 1943.

Today, it is a public park. The site is also known by other names like Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot No.3 (IAFD No.3). It is owned by Caltex Australia Petroleum Pty Ltd and the Cootamundra–Gundagai Regional Council. This important site was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on February 27, 2015.

History

Aboriginal Land: The Wiradjuri People

The traditional owners of the land around Cootamundra are the Wiradjuri people. For a very long time, they lived off the land. The Murrumbidgee River provided plenty of shellfish and fish. Plants, nuts, and tubers from the land gave them seasonal food.

They also hunted animals like possums, kangaroos, and emus. This provided a healthy and varied diet. When European settlers arrived in the 1830s, the Wiradjuri people faced many challenges. Their traditional way of life changed. Many Wiradjuri people eventually moved to towns. Today, many Wiradjuri people live in towns like Narrandera, Griffith, and Wagga Wagga. Smaller groups live in places like Cootamundra.

Cootamundra's Early Days

In 1829, the first British explorer, Charles Sturt, explored the Murrumbidgee Valley. By the 1830s, farmers started to settle the land. Cootamundra began as part of a large farming area.

The town of Cootamundra was planned in 1861. The first town lots were sold in 1862. Like many towns in the Riverina region, Cootamundra grew during the New South Wales gold rush in the 1860s. By 1866, it had a population of 100 people. It also had a post office, a police station, and two hotels.

The railway arrived in 1877. This helped Cootamundra grow as a farming community. The town was officially named Cootamundra in 1952. Before that, it was known as Cootamundry.

Cootamundra's Aviation Story

Cootamundra's aviation history began in 1917. A pilot named W. J. Stutt landed his plane near the Cootamundra Showground. This flight set a new long-distance record for Australia.

By 1921, the Australian Government bought land for an aerodrome (airport). Cootamundra became one of New South Wales's earliest rural airports. Its location between Sydney and Melbourne was very useful. It was chosen as the southern end for an airmail service between Australia and Britain.

Later, Butler Air Transport used the airfield for airmail contracts. They connected to Qantas services. However, the company moved its base to Sydney in 1938.

World War II and Air Power

When Australia entered World War II in 1939, the war seemed far away. But Australia soon joined a plan to train pilots and aircrew. This was called the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS). It helped train many airmen who fought in different parts of the world.

Many training airfields were needed for this scheme. Cootamundra's existing airport and its location on the Sydney-Melbourne railway line made it perfect. It became a military base and EATS training facility. Gough Whitlam, who later became Prime Minister of Australia, received navigation training here in 1942.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took over the Cootamundra airport by 1940. A special station was also built to help with radio communications. This was important for finding enemy planes and for battles.

Because of the training school, the airport, and its safe inland location, Cootamundra was chosen for the No.3 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD). This is the site we know today as the Cootamundra World War II Fuel Depot.

Fueling the War Effort

A big challenge during World War II was getting aviation fuel to RAAF planes. Transporting fuel was hard because of Australia's large distances. Also, existing fuel storage places were small. They were mostly in New South Wales and Victoria. This made it difficult to supply planes in the north.

To solve this, an Aviation Fuel Committee was formed. They decided to build large fuel storage depots in inland locations. These places would be safe from attacks by enemy ships or planes. Twelve sites were chosen across Australia. Four of these were in New South Wales: Cootamundra, Wallerawang, Muswellbrook, and Grafton.

These depots were first called RAAF Inland Petrol Depots. Soon, they were renamed Inland Aircraft Fuel Depots (IAFD). Cootamundra was the third site chosen in Australia and the first in New South Wales. It became known as No.3 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot.

The committee planned how these depots should be built. A typical IAFD would have standard tanks, a mixing tank, pumps, pipes, and other buildings. It would also have railway sidings for fuel delivery. The storage tanks were very large. For safety, they were placed far apart.

The RAAF also planned to camouflage the fuel tanks. This was to hide them from air attacks. The tanks were placed in deep holes in the ground. Earth banks were built around them. This helped contain any leaks and allowed for camouflage. A guard house was also built for 24-hour security.

Shell Oil Company was in charge of building the Cootamundra depot. The land for the depot was bought from the NSW State Government, the Cootamundra Municipal Council, and private owners. It became property of the RAAF and the Australian Army.

By late 1941, the smaller fuel tanks (numbers 1, 2, and the mixing tank 3) were finished. Then, on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. This made the threat of a Japanese attack on Australia much higher. So, the number of inland fuel depots was increased. Many existing ones were also made much larger.

By early 1944, the Cootamundra depot had two more, much larger fuel tanks (numbers 4 and 5). Each could hold a huge amount of fuel. These new tanks were even more carefully camouflaged. They were completely covered with an earthen mound. However, these two large tanks were never actually used to store aviation fuel.

By 1944, the threat of Japanese invasion lessened. The Cootamundra No. 3 IAFD was closed down. Many other IAFD sites were also closed. They were kept ready for use if needed. Detailed instructions were given to empty and clean the tanks. All equipment was to be cleaned and maintained. This ensured the site could be used again if necessary.

After the war, the Cootamundra airfield went back to civilian use. The airport is still in use today.

After the War

After World War II ended, the need for large inland fuel storage stopped. The Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot sites were sold. The No.3 IAFD site at Cootamundra was sold to Australian Motorists Petrol Company Ltd (AMP) in 1947. AMP later became Ampol.

When it was sold, the site included the land, fences, gates, five fuel tanks, and 12 buildings. These buildings included a guard house, tool shed, and fuel pump house. The site continued to be used for fuel storage after the war.

The depot site became part of Caltex in 1995. This happened after Ampol and Caltex merged. The depot officially closed at the end of 1995. It has not been used since then. The ownership of the site will be given to the Cootamundra Shire Council. This will happen after all necessary clean-up work is finished.

A Quick Look at Ampol and Caltex

In the early 1900s, kerosene was used a lot for lighting. But with cars, crude oil became important for fuel. By 1911, petrol sales were higher than kerosene sales.

In 1936, Sir William Gaston Walkley started the Australian Motorists Petrol Company Limited (AMP). In 1949, its name changed to Ampol Petroleum Limited. The first Ampol service station opened in 1952. Ampol grew by opening plants and making tires. In 1995, Ampol merged with Caltex Australia Ltd.

Caltex started in 1901 when the Texas Company (Texaco) found a lot of oil. In the 1950s and 1960s, Caltex competed with Ampol. When they merged in 1995, they became the largest refiner and marketer in Australia. The Caltex brand has since taken over the Ampol brand.

Why the Site is Important

A study in 2008 said that the former No.3 IAFD site was very important. It is now listed as a heritage item in the Cootamundra Local Environmental Plan. The Cootamundra Council asked for the site to be listed on the NSW State Heritage Register in 2014.

The Five Fuel Tanks

The site has five main fuel tanks. Here's a simple look at each:

Fuel Tank No.1

This tank could hold a lot of fuel. It is about 9 meters (29 feet) wide. It is built from welded steel plates. It has a cone-shaped roof. The tank sits on a concrete foundation filled with sand. It is surrounded by a tall earth bank. This bank was likely built to hold any leaks. It also helped drain rainwater. The steel tank looks complete and in good condition.

Fuel Tank No.2

Tank No.2 also held a lot of fuel. It is about 9 meters (29 feet) wide. This tank is covered in brickwork. The name "Ampol" is painted on it. Valves and openings at the bottom are protected by brick housing. The tank sits in a dug-out area with earth banked up around it. This was to contain leaks. A steel stairway goes to the top of the tank. The brick casing looks good, but it's not clear if the steel tank inside is in good condition.

Fuel Tank No.3

This tank was smaller and used for mixing fuel. It is about 6 meters (20 feet) wide. It is also made of welded steel plates with a cone roof. It sits on a concrete foundation. Like Tank No.2, it is covered in brickwork with "Ampol" painted on it. It also has earth banked around it to contain leaks. A steel stairway goes to the top. The brickwork is in good condition.

Fuel Tanks No.4 and No.5

These two tanks were built later, after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They were finished by 1944. They are identical and much larger than the first three. Each could hold a huge amount of fuel. They were built deep into the ground. They were camouflaged with a thick earth mound over each one. They are about 17.6 meters (58 feet) wide and 5.9 meters (19.5 feet) high. They are made of concrete lined with steel. Each tank has a concrete tunnel for access. They also had many water and foam pipes for safety. However, these two large tanks were never actually used to store fuel.

Other Buildings and Features

Fuel Pump House

This small brick building was used for pumping fuel. It measures about 3.6 by 2.4 meters (12 by 8 feet). It had a concrete floor and a roof on a wooden frame. There was also a hose exchange pit nearby.

Foam House

The Foam House was a larger brick building, about 9.7 by 6 meters (32 by 20 feet). Its walls were very thick. Part of it was a pump house with a concrete floor and roof. It had small glass windows. A large water tank was nearby to supply water for the foam plant. Foam was used for fire protection.

Other Elements

• Pipelines: You can still find lengths of pipeline around the site.
• Fire Hose Locations: There were five fire hose boxes. Some metal boxes are still there, but they are empty and not the original wooden ones.
• Bulk Road Vehicle Filling Points: These were places where fuel trucks could be filled. Only the ruined remains of the equipment and a concrete base are left.
• Railway Siding: A railway siding was built nearby to bring fuel by train. Today, only a few parts like pipes, concrete drainage, and railway sleepers remain. This area is being cleaned up.

Some other fuel storage structures built after the war have been removed from the site.

Condition and Changes

The site has not been used since 1995. The main parts built during World War II, like the fuel tanks, are still there. They are in fair to good condition. The site is currently being cleaned up before it is given to the Cootamundra Council.

The overall layout of the site has not changed much. The fuel tanks, Fuel Pump House, Foam House, and pipes look mostly the same. Some original buildings, like the Guard House and Tool Shed, have been removed.

Newer additions built after the war, such as underground fuel tanks and asbestos materials, were removed in 2013. More clean-up work was done in 2014.

Heritage Importance

The Cootamundra World War II Fuel Depot Site is very important to the history of New South Wales. It is a rare and intact example of a World War II industrial site. It was part of a network of fuel depots built across Australia during the war.

Cootamundra was chosen because of its location on the railway line between Sydney and Melbourne. It was the first of 11 "safe inland locations" in New South Wales for storing aviation fuel. The depot played a small but important role in Australia's defense during the war. It helped store and distribute fuel to the Cootamundra airport and the No.1 Air Observer's School.

The site is important for research. Its layout and structures are mostly unchanged. This can help us understand how aviation fuel was stored in the mid-1900s. It also shows how these kinds of structures are used and kept over time.

The site is also important because it shows how quickly and well things were built during wartime. The fuel tanks and other buildings were designed and installed very fast. It also shows how safety was considered for workers and when closing down the site.

The site has a connection to people who worked for the RAAF and oil companies. Gough Whitlam, who later became Prime Minister, trained at the Cootamundra RAAF base in 1942.

The site also shows great technical achievement. The fuel tanks were carefully designed and built. Their earth and brick casings helped with camouflage and safety. The fuel pump house and foam house were also well-designed. The site stands out in the Cootamundra townscape.

It is also important to communities interested in World War II history. This includes people who worked for the RAAF, Shell Oil Company, Ampol, and Caltex.

The Cootamundra World War II Fuel Depot Site is one of the most complete of the 31 IAFD sites built in Australia. It was the first of eleven such sites in New South Wales. It is a great example of a mid-20th century industrial site. It shows how military structures were built quickly during the war. It also shows how they were later used for civilian purposes.