RAAF Base Scherger: Difference between revisions

RAAF Base Scherger
RAAF Base Scherger
Near Weipa, Queensland in Australia
	Gate to RAAF Scherger
	RAAF Base Scherger; YBSG Location in Queensland
Coordinates	12°37′24″S 142°05′12″E / 12.62333°S 142.08667°E
Type	Military air base
Site information
Owner	Department of Defence
Operator	Royal Australian Air Force
Website	RAAF Base Scherger
Site history
In use	5 August 1998 – present
Garrison information
Occupants	'Bare base'
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: YBSG
Elevation	44 metres (145 ft) AMSL
Runways
12/30	3,049 metres (10,003 ft) Asphalt
	Sources: AIP

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Latest revision as of 14:02, 10 February 2024

RAAF Base Scherger (ICAO: YBSG) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base located approximately 26 km (16 mi) east of Weipa on the western side of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. One of three bare bases in a chain of bases across Australia's top end, the base is occupied by a caretaker staff and can be activated at relatively short notice. The base was constructed by troops drawn mainly from the 17th Construction Squadron, in what is believed to have been the biggest project undertaken by the Royal Australian Engineers at the time.

Opened on 5 August 1998 by the Prime Minister, John Howard,^[2] the base was named in honour of Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Scherger who was the Australian Chief of the Air Staff (now known as Chief of Air Force) from March 1957 to May 1961^[3] and the equivalent of what is now Chief of the Defence Force from 1961 to 1966.

Role and facilities[edit]

As a 'bare base' Scherger's role is to provide the RAAF and other services with the necessary infrastructure to support forward deployed forces during a crisis. While the base has facilities to cater for 400 personnel in fixed accommodation, 1,000 personnel in tent lines and about 40 aircraft, it is normally only staffed by four Air Force personnel who are responsible for caretaker duties.^[3] During peacetime RAAF Base Scherger hosts, on average, one major exercise per year in which the base is fully activated through the arrival of RAAF units based elsewhere in Australia.^[4]^[5]

Scherger Immigration Detention Centre[edit]

In October 2010, the Scherger Immigration Detention Centre was opened at Scherger RAAF Base, and this facility provided accommodation for 300 single adult males,^[3]^[6] with a maximum capacity of 596 males.^[7] The centre closed in 2014.^[8]

References[edit]

^ YBSG – Scherger (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 21 March 2024
^ "Prime Minister Opens RAAF Base Scherger". Sapper News: The Royal Australian Engineers Newsletter. 8 (2): 1–3. August 1998.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dodd, Mark (18 September 2010). "'Ghost' RAAF defence base Scherger a bare-bones facility". The Australian. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
^ "RAAF Base Scherger" (PDF). Department of Defence. Australian Government. 1 October 2003. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
^ Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (1999). "Chapter 2: Northern Territory" (PDF). Report of Visit to Defence Establishments in Northern Australia. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ "Weipa residents revolt over plans for 300 asylum seekers at nearby Scherger RAAF base". The Sunday Mail. Queensland. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
^ "ADF refugee role attacked". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
^ Ireland, Judith (14 January 2014). "Scott Morrison announces closure of four immigration detention centres". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. Retrieved 30 July 2015.

External links[edit]

[AIP-1] YBSG – Scherger (PDF). AIP En Route Supplement from Airservices Australia, effective 21 March 2024

[sappernews-2] "Prime Minister Opens RAAF Base Scherger". Sapper News: The Royal Australian Engineers Newsletter. 8 (2): 1–3. August 1998.

[Aust-3] Dodd, Mark (18 September 2010). "'Ghost' RAAF defence base Scherger a bare-bones facility". The Australian. Retrieved 27 August 2017.

[4] "RAAF Base Scherger" (PDF). Department of Defence. Australian Government. 1 October 2003. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

[5] Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (1999). "Chapter 2: Northern Territory" (PDF). Report of Visit to Defence Establishments in Northern Australia. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[6] "Weipa residents revolt over plans for 300 asylum seekers at nearby Scherger RAAF base". The Sunday Mail. Queensland. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

[7] "ADF refugee role attacked". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

[aap-8] Ireland, Judith (14 January 2014). "Scott Morrison announces closure of four immigration detention centres". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. Retrieved 30 July 2015.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
-{{Infobox airport
+{{Use Australian English|date=May 2013}}
-| name = RAAF Scherger
+{{Infobox military installation
-| image-width =
+| name = RAAF Base Scherger
-| caption =
-| IATA =
+| ensign =
+| ensign_size =
-| ICAO = YBSG
-| type = Military
+| native_name =
+| partof = <!-- for elements within a larger site -->
-| owner =
-| operator = RAAF
+| location =
+| nearest_town = {{QLDcity|Weipa}}, [[Queensland]]<!-- used in military test site infobox -->
-| city-served =
+| country = Australia
-| location = Weipa, Queensland
+| image = RAAF Base Scherger gate (5423526507).jpg
-| elevation-f = 145
+| image_size = 300
-| latd = 12 | latm = 37 | lats = 24 | latNS = S
+| alt =
-| longd= 142 | longm= 05 | longs= 12 | longEW= E
+| caption = Gate to RAAF Scherger
-| coordinates_region = AU
+| image2 = <!--secondary image, major command emblems for airfields -->
+| alt2 =
+| caption2 =
+| type = [[Military airfield|Military air base]]
+| coordinates = {{coord|12|37|24|S|142|05|12|E|region:AU|display=inline,title}}<!-- {{Coord}} -->
+| gridref =
+| image_map =
+| image_mapsize =
+| image_map_alt =
+| image_map_caption =
 | pushpin_map = Queensland
-| pushpin_label = YBSG
+| pushpin_mapsize = 300
-| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Queensland
+| pushpin_map_alt =
+| pushpin_map_caption = Location in [[Queensland]]
+| pushpin_relief = 1
-| website =
-| metric-rwy = y
+| pushpin_image =
+| pushpin_label = RAAF Base Scherger<br/>''YBSG''
+| pushpin_label_position = left
+| pushpin_mark =
+| pushpin_marksize =
+| ownership = [[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]]<!-- government department such as the MoD or the United States DoD -->
+| operator = {{no wrap|{{air force|Australia}}}}<!-- where different from ownership such as the RAF or the USAF -->
+| controlledby = <!-- such as RAF Bomber Command or the Eighth Air Force -->
+| open_to_public = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
+| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
+| site_other = <!-- for other sorts of facilities - radar types etc -->
+| site_area = <!-- area of site m2, km2 square mile etc -->
+| code = <!--facility/installation code, applies to US -->
+| built = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY}} -->
+| used = {{start date|1998|08|05|df=y}}{{spaced endash}} ''present''<!--{{End date|1946}} -->
+| builder =
+| materials =
+| height = <!-- height of tallest part, not above sea level -->
+| length = <!-- for border fences or other DMZs -->
+| fate = <!--changed from demolished parameter-->
+| condition =
+| battles =
+| events =
+| current_commander = <!-- current commander -->
+| past_commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->
+| garrison = <!-- such as the 25th Bombardment Group -->
+| occupants = [[RAAF bare bases|'Bare base']]<!-- squadrons only -->
+| website = {{URL|http://www.airforce.gov.au/RAAFBases/Queensland/RAAF-Base-Scherger/?RAAF-cF5tPCYx3ni0//nxxoZUPYZrFJcZGlnp|RAAF Base Scherger}}
+<!-- begin airfield information  -->
+| IATA =
+| ICAO = YBSG
+| FAA =
+| TC =
+| LID =
+| GPS =
+| WMO =
+| elevation = {{Convert|145|ft|m|0|order=flip}}
 | r1-number = 12/30
-| r1-length-m = 3,049
+| r1-length = {{convert|3049|m|0}}
-| r1-surface = Asphalt
+| r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
-| stat-year =
+| r2-number =
-| stat1-header =
+| r2-length =
-| stat1-data =
+| r2-surface =
-| stat2-header =
+| r3-number =
-| stat2-data =
+| r3-length =
+| r3-surface =
-| footnotes = Sources: [[Aeronautical Information Publication|AIP]]<ref name="AIP">{{AIP AU|YBSG|name=Scherger}}</ref>
+| h1-number =
+| h1-length =
+| h1-surface =
+| airfield_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
+| airfield_other = <!-- for other sorts of airfield facilities -->
+| footnotes = Sources: [[Aeronautical Information Publication|AIP]]<ref name="AIP">{{AIP AU|YBSG|name=Scherger}}</ref><!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox that doesn't work in new code -->
+<!--  end airfield information   -->
 }}
-'''RAAF Base Scherger''' {{Airport codes|YBSG}} is the newest of the [[Royal Australian Air Force]]'s three [[RAAF bare bases|'bare bases']], completing a chain of bases across Australia’s 'top end'. Located {{Convert|26|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Weipa, Queensland|Weipa]] on the western side of [[Cape York Peninsula]] in [[Queensland]], it was opened on 5 August 1998 by the [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]], [[John Howard]].
+'''RAAF Base Scherger''' ([[ICAO_airport_code|ICAO: YBSG]]) is a [[Royal Australian Air Force]] (RAAF) [[military airfield|military air base]] located approximately {{Convert|26|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Weipa, Queensland|Weipa]] on the western side of [[Cape York Peninsula]] in [[Queensland]], Australia. One of three [[RAAF bare bases|bare bases]] in a chain of bases across Australia's [[top end]], the base is occupied by a caretaker staff and can be activated at relatively short notice. The base was constructed by troops drawn mainly from the [[17th Construction Squadron (Australia)|17th Construction Squadron]], in what is believed to have been the biggest project undertaken by the [[Royal Australian Engineers]] at the time.
-As a 'bare base' Scherger's role is to provide the RAAF and other services with the necessary infrastructure to support forward deployed forces during a crisis. The base is named in honour of [[Air chief marshal (Australia)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Frederick Scherger|Sir Frederick Scherger]] who was the Australian Chief of the Air Staff (now known as [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of Air Force]]) from March 1957 to May 1961 and the equivalent of what is now [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]] from 1961 to 1966.
+Opened on 5 August 1998 by the [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]], [[John Howard]],<ref name=sappernews>{{cite journal|title=Prime Minister Opens RAAF Base Scherger |journal=Sapper News: The Royal Australian Engineers Newsletter |volume=8 |issue=2 |date=August 1998 |pages=1–3}}</ref> the base was named in honour of [[Air chief marshal (Australia)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Frederick Scherger|Sir Frederick Scherger]] who was the Australian Chief of the Air Staff (now known as [[Chief of Air Force (Australia)|Chief of Air Force]]) from March 1957 to May 1961<ref name=Aust>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/ghost-raaf-defence-base-scherger-a-bare-bones-facility/news-story/358e32699f3ddaa8e2ea8b4eb21b7a1d |title='Ghost' RAAF defence base Scherger a bare-bones facility |work=[[The Australian]] |author=Dodd, Mark |date=18 September 2010 |access-date=27 August 2017 }}</ref> and the equivalent of what is now [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]] from 1961 to 1966.
+==Role and facilities==
-While the base has facilities to cater for 400 personnel in fixed accommodation, 1,000 personnel in tent lines and about 40 aircraft, it is normally only manned by four Air Force personnel who are responsible for caretaker duties. During peacetime RAAF Base Scherger hosts, on average, one major exercise per year in which the base is fully activated through the arrival of RAAF units based elsewhere in Australia.
+As a 'bare base' Scherger's role is to provide the RAAF and other services with the necessary infrastructure to support forward deployed forces during a crisis. While the base has facilities to cater for 400 personnel in fixed accommodation, 1,000 personnel in tent lines and about 40 aircraft, it is normally only staffed by four Air Force personnel who are responsible for caretaker duties.<ref name=Aust/> During peacetime RAAF Base Scherger hosts, on average, one major exercise per year in which the base is fully activated through the arrival of RAAF units based elsewhere in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/id/_Master/docs/NCRP/QLD/1218RAAFSchergerQLD.pdf |title=RAAF Base Scherger |work=[[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]] |publisher=Australian Government |date=1 October 2003 |access-date=26 August 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade |url=http://web.senate@aph.gov.au/house/committee/jfadt/army/NT_ch2.pdf |work=Report of Visit to Defence Establishments in Northern Australia |title=Chapter 2: Northern Territory |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005080805/http://web.senate@aph.gov.au/house/committee/jfadt/army/NT_ch2.pdf |archive-date=5 October 2009 |publisher=[[Parliament of Australia]] |date=1999 |access-date=26 August 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>
+=== Scherger Immigration Detention Centre ===
-In October 2010, the [[Australian immigration detention facilities|Scherger Immigration Detention Centre]] was opened at the Scherger RAAF Base, this facility provides accommodation for 300 single adult males.
+In October 2010, the Scherger [[Australian immigration detention facilities|Immigration Detention Centre]] was opened at Scherger RAAF Base, and this facility provided accommodation for 300 single adult males,<ref name=Aust/><ref>{{cite news |title=Weipa residents revolt over plans for 300 asylum seekers at nearby Scherger RAAF base |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/weipa-residents-revolt-over-plans-for-300-asylum-seekers-at-nearby-scherger-raaf-base/news-story/c89897a96c23294308f9a0ae45a45c3e |access-date=26 August 2017 |work=[[Courier-Mail|The Sunday Mail]] |location=Queensland |date=17 October 2010 }}</ref> with a maximum capacity of 596 males.<ref>{{cite news |title=ADF refugee role attacked |url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/adf-refugee-role-attacked-20110918-1wqan.html |access-date=26 August 2017 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=18 September 2011 }}</ref> The centre closed in 2014.<ref name=aap>{{cite news |last1=Ireland|first1=Judith |title=Scott Morrison announces closure of four immigration detention centres |url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/scott-morrison-announces-closure-of-four-immigration-detention-centres-20140114-30rys.html |access-date=30 July 2015 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|agency=[[Australian Associated Press|AAP]] |date=14 January 2014}}</ref>
 ==See also==
 * [[List of airports in Queensland]]
+* [[List of Royal Australian Air Force installations]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 45: / Line 102: @@
 ==External links==
+* [http://www.airforce.gov.au/RAAFBases/Queensland/RAAF-Base-Scherger/?RAAF-cF5tPCYx3ni0//nxxoZUPYZrFJcZGlnp RAAF Base Scherger] at airforce.gov.au
-*Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade [http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jfadt/army/NT_ch2.pdf Report of Visit to Defence Establishments in Northern Australia]
-*[http://www.defence.gov.au/kakadu/images/gallery/20050805a/index.htm Exercise Kakadu VII]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060508044625/http://www.defence.gov.au/kakadu/images/gallery/20050805a/index.htm Exercise Kakadu VII]
-*[http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews/EDITIONS/4715/features/feature03g.htm ''Air Force News'': "Going Active"]
+*[https://archive.today/20121127123325/http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews/EDITIONS/4715/features/feature03g.htm ''Air Force News'': "Going Active"]
-*[http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/HistoryRecord/HistoryRecordDetail.aspx?rid=102 RAAF Base Scherger opened near Weipa]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110328151037/http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/HistoryRecord/HistoryRecordDetail.aspx?rid=102 RAAF Base Scherger opened near Weipa]
 *[http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/detention/facilities/locations/scherger/ Scherger Immigration Detention Centre]
+{{Portal bar|Royal Australian Air Force|Queensland|Aviation}}
 {{RAAF Bases}}
+{{Airports in Australia}}
+{{Airports in Queensland}}
+{{authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Scherger}}
 [[Category:Royal Australian Air Force bases]]
 [[Category:Airports in Queensland]]
+[[Category:1998 establishments in Australia]]
+[[Category:Airports established in 1998]]
+[[Category:Military installations established in 1998]]
-{{Australia-mil-stub}}
+[[Category:Military buildings and structures in Queensland]]
+[[Category:Military installations in Queensland]]
-[[fa:فرودگاه نیروی هوایی سلطنتی استرالیا در شرگر]]
-[[ms:Lapangan Terbang Scherger]]

v t e Royal Australian Air Force bases
Current bases including bare bases	Amberley Darwin East Sale Edinburgh Gingin Glenbrook Pearce Richmond Tindal Townsville Wagga Williams Williamtown Woomera Range Complex including Woomera Base Curtin Learmonth Scherger
Former bases	Albion Park Archerfield Bairnsdale Bowen Bundaberg Cairns Camden Coffs Harbour Cunderdin Daly Waters Deniliquin Evans Head Fairbairn Gove Guildford Horn Island Jervis Bay Mallala Mascot Moruya Mildura Nabiac Narrandera Narromine Nowra Oakey Parafield Pokolbin Rathmines Parkes Sandgate Schofields Temora Tengah (Singapore) Tocumwal Ubon (Thailand) Uranquinty West Sale Western Junction
Overseas bases	Butterworth (Malaysia) Cocos Island (Cocos (Keeling) Islands) Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)
Shared bases	Defence Establishment Orchard Hills
Flying boat bases	Lake Boga Rathmines
Other facilities	Delamere Air Weapons Range
RAAFs Curtin, Learmonth and Scherger are so-called "bare bases"

v t e Airports in Australia
Australian Capital Territory	Canberra
New South Wales	Albury Armidale Ballina Bathurst Broken Hill Cobar Coffs Harbour Cooma Dubbo Grafton Griffith Lismore Lord Howe Island Merimbula Moree Moruya Mudgee Narrabri Narrandera Newcastle Orange Parkes Port Macquarie Sydney Tamworth Taree Wagga Wagga
Northern Territory	Alice Springs Ayers Rock Darwin Elcho Island Lake Evella Groote Eylandt Hooker Creek Maningrida McArthur River Mine Milingimbi Gove Ramingining Tennant Creek Tindal
Queensland	Aurukun Badu Island Bamaga (Northern Peninsula) Barcaldine Bedourie Birdsville Blackall Blackwater Boigu Island Boulia Brisbane Bundaberg Burketown Cairns Charleville Chinchilla Cloncurry Coconut Island Coen Cooktown Cunnamulla Darnley Island Dirranbandi Doomadgee Emerald Gladstone Gold Coast Hamilton Island Hervey Bay Horn Island Hughenden Julia Creek Karumba Kowanyama Kubin (Moa Island) Lizard Island Lockhart River Longreach Mabuiag Island Mackay Moranbah Mornington Island Mount Isa Murray Island Normanton Palm Island Quilpie Redcliffe Richmond Rockhampton Roma Saibai Island St George Springvale Sunshine Coast Thangool Thargomindah Toowoomba (City) Toowoomba (Wellcamp) Townsville Warraber Island Weipa Whitsunday Coast Windorah Winton Yam Island Yorke Island
South Australia	Adelaide Ceduna Coober Pedy Kingscote Mount Gambier Olympic Dam Port Augusta Port Lincoln Prominent Hill Whyalla
Tasmania	Burnie Devonport Flinders Island Hobart King Island Launceston
Victoria	Avalon Bendigo Essendon Hamilton Melbourne Mildura Moorabbin Mount Hotham Portland Warrnambool
Western Australia	Albany Argyle Broome Busselton Carnarvon Derby Esperance Fitzroy Crossing Geraldton Halls Creek Jandakot Kalbarri Kalgoorlie Karratha Kununurra Lake Gregory Laverton Learmonth Leinster Leonora Meekatharra Mount Magnet Newman Paraburdoo Perth Port Hedland Ravensthorpe Shark Bay Springvale Wiluna
External territories	Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Norfolk Island Wilkins
This lists airports in Australia with scheduled passenger services. Statistics. Airports in bold are international airports.

v t e Airports in Queensland
Public airports	Abingdon Agnew Alpha Aramac Archerfield Arrabury Aurukun Barcaldine Batavia Biloela Bedourie Birdsville Blackall Blackwater Boigu Island Boulia Bowen Brisbane Bundaberg Burketown Caboolture Cairns Caloundra Camooweal Charleville Charters Towers Chillagoe Chinchilla Clermont Cloncurry Coen Cooktown Cunnamulla Darnley Island Dirranbandi Donnington Airpark Doomadgee Dunk Island Edward River Emerald Gayndah Georgetown Gladstone Gold Coast Goondiwindi Gympie Hamilton Island Hervey Bay Horn Island Hughenden Innisfail Julia Creek Karumba Kingaroy Kowanyama Kubin Lizard Island Lockhart River Longreach Mabuiag Island Mackay Mareeba Maryborough Moranbah Mornington Island Mount Isa Murray Island Muttaburra Normanton Northern Peninsula Palm Island Quilpie Redcliffe Richmond Rockhampton Roma St George Springvale Stanthorpe Sunshine Coast Taroom Thangool Thargomindah Toowoomba City Toowoomba Wellcamp Townsville Warwick Weipa Whitsunday Coast Windorah Winton
Private airports	Badu Island Ballera Century Mine Coconut Island Dysart Elrose Jacobs Well Middlemount Mount Gordon Osborne Mine Saibai Island Southport Springsure The Monument Trepell Warraber Island Whitsunday Yam Island Yorke Island
Military airports	Amberley Enoggera Oakey Scherger Townsville Williamson
Defunct airports	Aitkenvale Antill Plains Bohle River Breddan Eagle Farm Petrie Reid River Tarampa
Related	New South Wales Northern Territory South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia Territories of Australia
Airports in bold are international airports

Latest revision as of 14:02, 10 February 2024

Role and facilities[edit]

Scherger Immigration Detention Centre[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]