Dear ex-Nirimba Naval personnel,

On Sat 5 March 2005, The Nirimba Naval Association held its annual Commemoration Service at what is now Nirimba Education Precinct, Quakers Hill, NSW. Through information at that service, I have found your website.

I am the Education Development Officer for Nirimba Education Precinct which started its development after the Navy left Nirimba in 1994. Nirimba Eduation Precinct is a consortium of University of Western Sydney-Blacktown Campus, TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute-Nirimba College, Catholic Education Office Parramatta Diocese - Terra Santca College, Dept of Ed & Training (DET)NSW-Wyndham College.

So the training function of Nirimba undertaken by you in the Navy is still continuing today through senior secondary, TAFE and university students and staff. There are currently over 12,00 students and staff across the 4 education members at Nirimba - many part-time.

The Precinct (as it is now known) has some Navy reunion groups visit on weekends from time to time to drive/walk around your familiar places - many now put to different uses. Many of the older buildings have gone or been renovated, but the place still looks familiar to those who have visited.

Should you wish to contact Nirimba Education Precinct you can email:
nola.holmes@tafensw.edu.au

Best Wishes to Nirimba Naval personnel from Nirimba Education Precinct

Very pleasant thoughts Nola, and thank you for your contact details, if I'd known you were there on Saturday, I'd have made your aquaintence...

I'm sure that many of our Members would actually enjoy the opportunity to do a detailed tour of the Nirimba Campus in the future, I know we took a sneak drive down to what was The Shipwright's Workshop as we remembered it last Saturday, to see the changes since I completed my apprenticeship there almost 40 years ago...! Fascinating stuff...



The Shipwright's Workshop all dressed up on my Graduation Day in June 1966, taken by one proud Mother...!



Probably of greater interest to my Engineer Dad, The Machine Shop...

_________________

Rick Pengilly
WEBMASTER
Ex-CPOMTH3
R42630
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'74
HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Melbourne - HMAS Cerberus - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Lonsdale - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Brisbane

Nice pictures there Rick, one has brough back fond memories. the workshop with lathes, as the lathe with 44 drums next to it, was the one I did most of my turning work. The same lathe 'nuttal' was stamped 21/6/56 which so happens is my birthday.

_________________
Ron Preddy (spud),
S114945
Ex POMTP3
July 73, 3rd Muppet, 35th Nirimba
1973 to 1985,
Nirimba, Melbourne, Albatross (MT compound), Kuttabul (FMP), Derwent, Leeuwin (Broken leg/boats W/Shop), Derwent, Torrens and Darwin Naval Base (main machine shop).

That's my Ford FPV Cobra GT