Hunter River Lancers Training Depot facts for kids

The Hunter River Lancers Training Depot is an old military training site in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. It's a special place because of its history and how it helped train soldiers. This site was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004, meaning it's protected for its historical importance.

A Look Back: History of the Depot

The army first used a site in Armidale around 1897. This was when the 6th Light Horse unit was based there during the Boer War. A few years later, in 1904, the government bought a bigger piece of land on Mann Street. This new site was better because it was less likely to flood.

• Building the Drill Hall: In 1906, a wooden building called a "drill hall" was built here. A drill hall is a large building where soldiers practice their drills and training.
• More Buildings: By 1911, the site also had a well and a "gun shed." The gun shed was a place to store military equipment like guns, harnesses, and carts.

How Australia's Army Changed

Before 1901, each Australian state was in charge of its own defence. But after Federation (when the Australian states united), the new Commonwealth government took over. The Defence Act of 1903-1904 set up the rules for Australia's military.

• Compulsory Training: A big change happened in 1909. A new law made military training compulsory for young people. This meant kids aged 12-18 had to train as "Junior" and "Senior cadets." After that, adults also had to train.
• Simple Designs: Because so many drill halls were needed across Australia, the government decided to build them simply and cheaply. Many were made of wood and iron.

Who Built It?

In the early days of the Commonwealth, state government departments often helped build things for the new national government. The Armidale Drill Hall was special because it was built quite early, in 1906. This shows how important Armidale was for military training in New South Wales.

• Designed by Experts: The Drill Hall was designed by the New South Wales Government Architect's Office. The main architect at the time was Walter Liberty Vernon. He designed the drill hall and other buildings on the site.
• Building Details: The drill hall was a wooden building with an iron roof. It had a large training area and six rooms for officers. The roof was shaped like a "hipped roof with gablets," which means it sloped on all sides with small gables. The outside was covered with strong wooden boards.

Expanding the Training Depot

By 1912, the government decided to build even more drill halls. They wanted to make sure there were enough places for all the new trainees.

• Additions in 1913: In 1913, the Armidale drill hall was made bigger. They added more offices.
• Standard Designs: By 1913, the government started using standard designs for drill halls. The Armidale drill hall was later called a "Type 4" building. This type was 60 feet by 30 feet, with an extra 12-foot section on one side. The site also had toilets and a small arms range for shooting practice.

Military Units at Armidale

Armidale was an important training area for several military units.

• Light Horse Units: In 1906, two local units, the 4th and 6th Australian Light Horse, were renamed the "Hunter River Lancers" and the "New England Light Horse."
• World War I: Members of these units fought bravely in the First World War. They were part of the Light Horse Regiments.
• World War II: During the Second World War (1939-1945), the site was briefly used to hold Italian prisoners of war.

After the Wars

After World War II, the military forces were reformed.

• New Regiment: In 1948, the 12/16 Hunter River Lancers Regiment was formed. They used Matilda tanks for training.
• Changing Equipment: In 1952, the tanks were replaced with Staghound Armoured Cars.
• Current Use: Today, the depot is still used by the Defence force. It's used for tank training and maintenance.

What the Depot Looks Like Today

The Hunter River Lancers Training Depot is located at the corner of Allingham Street and Mann Street in Armidale. It includes the Drill Hall, the Q-Store (which used to be the Gun Shed), and a parade ground.

• Location: The depot is surrounded by modern buildings. It's close to the railway line and the main road. This shows how important it was to have drill halls in easy-to-reach places.
• Layout: The buildings were placed along the edges of the site. This left a large open space in the middle for the parade ground. The parade ground was where soldiers practiced their drills.
• Main Buildings: The depot has five main structures:
  • The Drill Hall
  • The Q-Store (which stands for Quartermaster's store, where supplies are kept)
  • Tank garages and wash-down areas
  • A former house for the Warrant Officer
  • A modern portable building

The Drill Hall

The Drill Hall is in the southeast corner of the site. It looks similar to other drill halls built around that time.

• Design: It has a hipped roof with gablets. The outside is covered with wooden weatherboards.
• Inside: The inside walls are now covered, but they used to be timber boards. The roof has special wooden and steel supports called "trusses."

The Q-Store (Former Gun Shed)

The Q-Store used to be the Gun Shed. It has four rooms.

• Rooms: These rooms were for storing guns, camp carts, harnesses, and for a workshop.
• Materials: The building is made of strong hardwood. The roof is covered with corrugated galvanised iron.

Condition of the Buildings

Both the Q-Store and the Drill Hall are in good condition.

• Drill Hall: The Drill Hall has a new roof and has been extended. These changes were made to improve the building for training, adding things like an armoury and new toilets. Even with these changes, it still looks a lot like its original design.
• Q-Store: The Q-Store has had some changes too. For example, dirt floors were replaced with concrete. Some of the original inside fittings are gone.

Why It's a Heritage Site

The Hunter River Lancers Training Depot was listed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List because it's very important to Australia's history.

• Military Training: It shows how military training started under the Commonwealth government after the 1903 Defence Act. It's also linked to Armidale's history with the Light Horse units.
• Special Design: The Drill Hall (1906) and Q-Store (1911) are special because they were designed by the New South Wales Government Architect's Office, led by Walter Liberty Vernon. They were built before the government started using standard designs for all military buildings in 1913.
• Typical Layout: The site shows how drill halls and other training buildings were typically set up. They were simple, rectangular buildings placed in important spots near railways and main roads.
• Community Value: The Drill Hall and former Gun Shed are highly valued by the local community. They are important for their cultural and social connections to the area's military past.