The Tomaree Headland Heritage Group (THHG) has been successful in obtaining a $10,000 grant for the commissioning of a historic account of the iconic Tomaree Lodge site once it is fully vacated.
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The grant, approved under the Saluting Their Service commemorative grant program, forms part of the group's aim to restore and preserve the military history of the lodge located along the stretch of Tomaree headland.
THHG president Peter Clough said that the group was eager to acknowledge the national significance and state heritage of the site, as well as its role as a military base during World War Two.
"The grant will go towards the writing of a definitive history of the site by a professional historian, and a starting point to a masterplan for the 10-hectare Tomaree Lodge site," he said.
"In addition to identifying and copying all relevant historical evidence available, the document would also form a resource for interpretation and conservation of on-site World War II relics and museum displays.
"It would also include the area's extensive marine and cultural [including Indigenous] history."
Mr Clough said that THHG had been collaborating with the Tomaree Museum Association and was supportive of the TMA's plans to establish a historic museum and interpretative centre.
He said that the Port's incredible history and heritage should be preserved for future generations.
"The former military base was developed as part of the NSW coastal defence network and subsequent appointment of General Douglas MacArthur as commander of the South West Pacific area," he said.
"We hope to capture the relationship and the historic significance of the combined Australian and American forces established for joint training purposes at the adjacent HMAS Assault, in addition to the relationship with other WWII military sites in the area."
The NSW heritage listing states that the rare site "is one of the few surviving, relatively intact NSW army garrison camps from the WWII era".
"It has strong archaeological significance with 10 original camp buildings and remnant war relics from Fort Tomaree, including a torpedo tube launching site, a surf battery and others," Mr Clough said.
"These complement the gun emplacements, observation and command posts and battery radar station on the adjacent National Park site."
Mr Clough said that there had been a commitment by the state government to retain the site in public ownership once the buildings were vacated.
"As a group that represents nine peak organisations plus the support of Port Stephens Council, we are proposing to conserve the heritage items and tastefully reuse the buildings."
