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Munitions Filling Factory St Marys

St Marys Munitions Filling Factory · Filling Factory St Marys · Commonwealth Munitions Filling Factory, St Marys · Ammunition Filling Factory, St Marys · St Marys Explosives and Filling Factory

1942 – May 1989

Large government factory at St Marys in western Sydney that filled shells, bombs, mines and other munitions with explosives for the Australian forces.

How it came into existence

Built by the Department of Munitions during the Second World War on a site of about 4,500 acres at St Marys acquired from 1941, with some 850 buildings; filling began in November 1942. It was a new undertaking rather than a transfer from another body, and it was kept as a permanent Commonwealth filling factory after the war.

Changes during its life

  1. 6 April 1948Moved to the Department of Supply and Development when the Department of Munitions was absorbed into it.
  2. 16 March 1950Moved to the new Department of Supply.
  3. 11 May 1951Moved to the new Department of Defence Production with the other government munitions factories.
  4. 23 April 1958Returned to the Department of Supply when the Department of Defence Production was absorbed into it.
  5. 12 June 1974Moved to the Department of Manufacturing Industry when the Department of Supply was abolished.
  6. 22 December 1975Moved to the Department of Industry and Commerce.
  7. 8 November 1976Moved to the new Department of Productivity, which took over the government defence factories.
  8. 3 November 1980Returned to the Department of Industry and Commerce when the Department of Productivity was abolished.
  9. 7 May 1982Moved to the new Department of Defence Support.
  10. 13 December 1984Moved to the Department of Defence as part of the Office of Defence Production when the Department of Defence Support was abolished.

How it ended

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, which closed the factory in the 1990s; the site was later redeveloped.

Main functions

  • Filling of shells, bombs and mines with explosives
  • Assembly of ammunition and pyrotechnics

Where it sits

Last in the portfolio of Department of Defence.

Lineage

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Sources

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