Mount Bundey Training Area

The Mount Bundey Training Area (MBTA) is a 117,300-hectare (290,000-acre) military training area in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Mount Bundey Training Area
MBTA
Mount Bundey, Northern Territory in Australia
Mount Bundey Training Area is located in Northern Territory
Mount Bundey Training Area
Mount Bundey Training Area
Location in Northern Territory
Coordinates12°59′56″S 131°47′49″E / 12.99889°S 131.79694°E / -12.99889; 131.79694
Type
Area117,300 hectares (290,000 acres)
Site information
OwnerDepartment of Defence
Operator
Site history
In use1988 (1988) – present

History

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Formerly a cattle station, the property was acquired as a Defence Training Area in 1988.[1][citation needed]

An Urban Operations Training Facility was constructed in 2005.[citation needed]

The MBTA has been heavily used by the US Marine Air Ground Task Force since its first deployment in 2012.[citation needed]

In mid-2017 the ADF held Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Mount Bundey with elements of the 1st BrigadeAustralian Army, US Marine Rotation Force – Darwin (MRF-D) and the Japanese Ground Self Defence Force (JGSDF).[2]

In 2021, prime minister Scott Morrison visited Robertson Barracks, where he announced a spend of A$747 million to upgrade the Robertson Barracks Close Training Area, Kangaroo Flats Training Area, Mount Bundey Training Area, and Bradshaw Field Training Area. This was part of a total of A$8 billion allocated for spending on defence installations in the Northern Territory.[3]

Location and description

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MBTA is a 117,300-hectare (290,000-acre) military training area located 75 km (47 mi) south-east of Humpty Doo, south of the Arnhem Highway, between the Mary River and Kakadu National Park.[1]

The United States and Singaporean militaries both conduct joint tank exercises with Australian forces in the MBTA.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mt Bundey Training Area, Northern Territory" (PDF). Australian Government: Department of Defence. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2020.
  2. ^ Hartigan, Brian (31 May 2017). "Exercise Southern Jackaroo 2017". CONTACT magazine. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  3. ^ Vivian, Steve (28 April 2021). "PM visits Howard Springs as Commonwealth spruiks $747 million Top End ADF upgrade". ABC News. Retrieved 9 February 2024.