Commonwealth Small Arms Factory

Opened by the Department of Defence in 1912 at Lithgow, under the Commonwealth policy of manufacturing its own munitions, to produce the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle. It was a new undertaking of the department rather than a transfer from another body.

1. 1921Placed under the control of the new Munitions Supply Board in the Department of Defence.
2. 26 April 1939Moved with the Munitions Supply Board to the new Department of Supply and Development.
3. 11 June 1940Moved to the new Department of Munitions.
4. 6 April 1948Moved to the Department of Supply and Development when the Department of Munitions was absorbed into it.
5. 16 March 1950Moved to the new Department of Supply.
6. 11 May 1951Moved to the new Department of Defence Production.
7. 23 April 1958Returned to the Department of Supply when the Department of Defence Production was absorbed into it.
8. 12 June 1974Moved to the Department of Manufacturing Industry when the Department of Supply was abolished.
9. 22 December 1975Moved to the Department of Industry and Commerce.
10. 8 November 1976Moved to the new Department of Productivity, which took over the government defence factories.
11. 3 November 1980Returned to the Department of Industry and Commerce when the Department of Productivity was abolished.
12. 7 May 1982Moved to the new Department of Defence Support.
13. 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 in May 1989, with the other government munitions and clothing factories of the Office of Defence Production, to the new Commonwealth company Australian Defence Industries Pty Ltd.

• Manufacture of service rifles
• Manufacture of machine guns and other small arms
• Repair and overhaul of small arms
• Gauge and tool making

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.