By Graham Davis

The days of old... with a mass of munitions used by RAN warships during World War II.

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The Newington Armory is now open to the public.

The Newington Armory, founded in 1897 in Sydney’s mid-western suburbs and responsible for the supply of munitions to RAN warships for decades, is to be opened to the general public.

At one period it employed 800 people. Now devoid of explosives, the historic site is within the Sydney Olympic Park.

On Sunday, February 15 the armory will open its doors to the public providing a program of tours, cultural events, Aboriginal story telling, crafting and children’s entertainment.

The armory will then open once a month with the second open day scheduled for March 21.

Gates open at 10.30am and close at 4pm with admission $8 for adults, $4 concession, $20 for a family (two adults two children) and $5 per person in groups of 15 or more.

Visitors will be able to travel around the 52-hectare site on its historic light rail system.

Known more formally as the Royal Australian Navy Armament Depot, the original 1897 powder magazine buildings were based on the 17th century French military design principles of GEN Louis Vauban.

There are now 100 buildings on the site.

The depot played a key strategic role during WW2 with more than 800 personnel supplying armament to the RAN, the RN and the USN.

During more than 100 years of dangerous operations, there was only one fatal accident.

Workers were screened daily to ensure static electricity in their bodies would not detonate volatile explosives.
The armory was once part of the estate of the important colonial family, the Blaxlands of Newington and was used for grazing, farming, salt panning and tweed milling.

The original Newington House and Chapel are intact and are part of the nearby Silverwater correctional facility.

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