Balcombe Creek meeting Port Phillip Bay at
Mount Martha

Inspection at the Balcombe Army Camp

Army Parade Ground at Balcombe Camp

HMAS Manoora

With the declaration of World War 2 in 1939, the Australian Army decided to use the Balcombe Estuary area at Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula as a training ground. In 1940 The Army 4th Division took over the area and including trainees, numbered about 3000 personnel. Late in 1940 the Commonwealth Government purchased 209 acres from the Graves, Ostberg and Henty Families to establish a permanent camp.

According to the book "To Kokoda and Beyond" many of the men stationed at Balcombe Army Camp volunteered to join the 39th Battalion which fought on the Kokoda Trail.

After the Pearl Harbour attack by the Japanese in 1941 the US used the Balcombe Camp for rest and rehabilitation of American servicemen and it became Headquarters for the 1st Division of the US Marine Corps in 1942. They carried out beach landing exercises near Martha Point, using the ship HMAS Manoora. HMAS Manoora was built for the Adelaide Steamship Company in 1935 and was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy in 1939.

After World War II, in 1947, The Army Apprentice School was established at the Balcombe Camp Here they trained as plumbers, electricians, fitters and turners, mechanics and carpenters among other trades.

In 1982 The apprentices school was moved to northern Victoria and he area around Balcombe Reserve was turned into a housing estate and recreational park.

The original parade grounds is now the car park for Mace oval and a boardwalk has been built from the mouth of Balcombe creek to the oval. On our visit part of the boardwalk was being replaced so we could not complete the walk to the oval. However we did spend some time on the beach at the mouth of the Balcombe Creek and took some great photos. It's a very pleasant place to spend a lazy afternoon.