About 120km from the nearest ocean sits Royal Australian Navy base HMAS Harman, outside of Canberra.
This "stone frigate", a naval term for a shore-based facility, plays a vital role in Australia's defence, though not in the way one might typically associate with a Navy base.
Harman's story began in the 1920s, when the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board recognised the need for strategic wireless stations in Canberra and Darwin.
Canberra was chosen specifically for its inland location out of range from potential naval bombardment during wartime.
The facility, initially known as the Royal Australian Navy Wireless Station Canberra, commenced operations in 1939.
It was commissioned as HMAS Harman on July 1, 1943, taking its name from a contraction of the surnames of two key naval signals officers, Commander N Harvey and Lieutenant Commander JB Newman.
During World War II, Harman was a critical communications hub, providing essential services for Allied navies operating in the Pacific.
It became the first establishment where women, specifically the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANs), served as telegraphers, handling coded messages and Morse code communications.
'There has been someone on watch monitoring communications since 1943 and that's pretty amazing.'
Today, Harman continues its core function of providing communications effects to Defence.
While the traditional large transmitting/receiving masts are long gone, it now houses the Naval Communications Area Master Station Australia and Naval Communications Station Canberra, integral to Defence-wide communications, cyber, intelligence, and information warfare capabilities.
Beyond its communications role, Harman also serves as an administrative and personnel support base for Navy personnel stationed in the ACT, southern NSW, and Navy non-operational positions overseas.
Furthermore, the base hosts various other Defence units, including Army Reserve and Royal Australian Air Force elements, as well as four Australian Defence Force Cadet units.
Commanding Officer Harman Commander Dean Thompson, a maritime human resource officer, initially joined Navy as a marine technician sailor before commissioning to become a maritime warfare officer.
He started as his career as a 17-year-old seaman recruit and now commands 3500 Navy personnel, overseeing their welfare, careers, and overall lives in the Navy.
"I feel really privileged to be in command of a landlocked Navy base, because of its touch points to not only Navy, but Defence more broadly, we are a very integrated base," Commander Thompson said.
"Whilst I'm not directly responsible for communications effects here at Harman, there has been someone on watch monitoring communications since 1943 and that's pretty amazing."
