CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy addresses the parade at the opening of the new Multi-User Depot at Bendigo. Photo by David Grant, PACC-Vic

By Cpl Alisha Carr
REGIONAL Victoria has a new $5 million Multi-User Depot, which was recently opened by CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy in Bendigo.

The depot is officially the new home of 15 Tpt Sqn, Spt Coy 8/7 RVR, 309RCU, Trg Ship Bendigo and 410 Flight AAFC.

Capt Steff Lacey, 2IC 15 Tpt Sqn, said although the weather was threatening to storm, enthusiastic reserves and cadets were keen to celebrate the historic occasion.

“I commanded a 48-person guard consisting of members from each of the units located at the new depot,” she said.

“The parade SM was WO2 Ian Preisig, also from 15 Tpt Sqn.”

Members of the 2/10 Fd Regt Band provided music for the parade and performed an afternoon concert to celebrate the day.

Lt-Gen Leahy addressed the parade before officially opening the depot.

Capt Lacey said 15 Tpt Sqn and Spt Coy 8/7 RVR relocated to the new depot from Passchendaele Barracks – a 1913 drill hall in the centre of Bendigo.

“Passchendaele Barracks has seen almost 90 years of service and was once the home of the 38th Battalion where men from Bendigo trained before embarking for WW1.

“For all of the units this is a definite step forward. The new depot boasts state of the art facilities and a large training area.

“It provides an excellent training facility for the local reserve and cadet units to work and train and has certainly been a long time coming.”

She said with all five units working and training in the same location it allowed for greater interoperability and joint training.

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