Commonwealth Government Clothing Factory

Set up by the Commonwealth Government in 1912 in Bank Street, South Melbourne, as one of the first Commonwealth manufacturing undertakings under the policy of local production of defence supplies, to make uniforms and clothing for the Department of Defence and the Postmaster-General's Department. It was a new undertaking rather than a transfer from another body. It was later known as the Australian Government Clothing Factory; the date of that change is not confirmed.

1. 1921Placed with the other government defence factories under the control of the new Munitions Supply Board.
2. 26 April 1939Moved with the Munitions Supply Board to the new Department of Supply and Development.
3. 1971Moved from its original site in South Melbourne to a purpose-built plant at Coburg, Victoria.
4. 8 November 1976Moved to the new Department of Productivity, which took over the government factories.
5. 3 November 1980Moved to the Department of Industry and Commerce when the Department of Productivity was abolished.
6. 7 May 1982Moved to the new Department of Defence Support.
7. 13 December 1984Moved to the Department of Defence as part of the Office of Defence Production when the Department of Defence Support was abolished.

Transferred with the other factories of the Office of Defence Production to the Commonwealth company Australian Defence Industries Pty Ltd, becoming its Clothing Division; ADI began operating in May 1989, although the Australian National Maritime Museum's timeline dates the transfer of management to 1988. The division was privatised in 1995 as Australian Defence Apparel Pty Ltd.

• Manufacture of military uniforms
• Manufacture of combat and ceremonial clothing
• Uniforms for the Postmaster-General's Department and other Commonwealth services

Last in the portfolio of Department of Defence.

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Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.