HMAS Assault

HMAS Assault was a Royal Australian Navy Naval Training Centre at Nelson Bay in the Port Stephens area of New South Wales, Australia during World War II.

The site was chosen because Port Stephens was relatively isolated and provided a safe haven from the Japanese submarine activity occurring off the east coast of Australia.

HMAS Westralia anchored in Port Stephens on 3 September 1942 to provide interim accommodation until HMAS Assault was completed.

The Naval Training Center at HMAS Assault was used to train Royal Australian Navy Beach Commandos, landing craft crews, beach parties and signal teams.

In August 1944 HMAS Assault was decommissioned and operated in care and maintenance duties until the Royal Navy British Pacific Fleet occupied HMAS Assault from April 1945. The site became a Royal Marines Commando Depot.

In June 1945 the Sick Bay Centre was turned into a small regional hospital of about 10 beds.

In 1949 the Commonwealth Employment Service took over the site to house European migrant workers. The migrant hostel was closed in mid 1953.

The Sick Bay building reopened as a hospital in April 1956. The hospital closed in 1981.

On 10 August 1981 the Port Stephens Society of the Arts took ownership of the Sick Bay building to become the Port Stephens Community Arts Centre.