Over 80 years ago, in 1942, it was decided to construct a secret R.A.A.F. stores depot at Flagstaff (between Maryborough and Carisbrook) next to the Castlemaine Maryborough railway line. Nothing was printed in the media about this secret base, officially called R.A.A.F. No. 5 Stores Depot. A nine hundred metre double track railway siding called Caristore Siding was constructed to the south and parallel to existing railway line with the connecting points approximately 3.5 km west of Carisbrook Station.
The original plans were to have 18 buildings on site including 4 large storage sheds and 2 Bellman aircraft hangers. There was also an airstrip. The staff complement was planned to be 488 personnel housed both at Flagstaff and in Maryborough.
Bellman Hanger
Flagstaff was chosen because it was outside the flying range of aircraft from Japanese aircraft carriers should they ever be positioned in waters off the Victorian Coast. However, most of the buildings were never built. There was a change of priorities following the successful sinking of some of Japan’s aircraft carriers during the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942). Thus, the depot was never completed, buildings were dismantled and the railway siding was closed and dismantled in 1949.
The interesting history of No. 5 Stores Depot is explored in an excellent video called “Secret WW2 R.A.A.F Base in Central Victoria” see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XwuDjxWTZA
The video includes interesting details about the dumping of unused stores into local mine shafts and the subsequent research and various attempts to unearth long forgotten equipment. An aircraft wheel strut from a R.A.A.F. Fairey Bomber aircraft found in the mines is held by the Carisbrook Historical Society.
RAAF Farey Bomber