How a former outback detention centre in Cape York could play a key role in protecting Australia’s borders

A former Cape York detention centre is poised to play a “critically important” role in defending Australia’s borders as international conflicts flare up across the globe, a leading academic says.

A Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster III aircraft (No. 36 Squadron) at RAAF Base Scherger, Far North Queensland, during Exercise Global Dexterity 21 in November, 2021.

A former Cape York detention centre is poised to play a “critically important” role in defending Australia’s borders as international conflicts flare up across the globe, a leading academic says.

The Albanese government announced it will spend an extra $50bn on defence over the next decade this week, with China’s increased aggression in the Indo-Pacific region and conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine raising concerns domestically.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet from No. 1 Squadron lands, using the Mobile Aircraft Arrestor System at RAAF Base Scherger, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021.

Director of defence and foreign policy at the US Studies Centre, Professor Peter Dean, said the Scherger RAAF Base, located 25km east of Weipa in western Cape York, stood on the frontline of Australia’s future defence efforts.

“Bases like Scherger were traditionally called ‘bare bases’,” Mr Dean said.

“That is minimal infrastructure for when you need to use them every now and then, or for an exercise.

“The level of capability in those air bases must increase. Its geography is critically important.

“We’ve seen (its) increased access and use during exercise Talisman Sabre. The US marine corps had a significant presence there as did the ADF.”

RAAF Base Scherger is located near Weipa on Cape York Peninsula.

Mr Dean, who travelled with Australia’s former defence chief, Sir Angus Houston to Scherger recently, said significant upgrades were needed to ensure the base could support “increasing the tempo” of operations in the area.

“It’s a great facility,” he said.

“But you need additional accommodation, messing, toilet blocks … you need to look at the runway, the amount of hard standing and storage there is.

“The amount of guided weapons and explosive ordnance storage you have and the amount of fuel that can be held on the base to sustain operations (need to be addressed).”

The use of Scherger Air Force Base as a detention centre divided opinions among Weipa residents in 2010 with around 300 asylum seekers housed at the facility. Picture: Luke Marsden.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is undertaking a base and infrastructure review recommended in a key report published in 2023, with findings to be announced later this year.

The review will reveal the future of the region’s northern base network, including Scherger and Cairns, Mr Dean said.

“Scherger is one of those key military bases of the northern base network that will contribute to our ability to conduct operations in our region and to provide those deterrent effects,” he said.

“Scherger will only become of increasing strategic and operational importance.”

The increased investment in defence was a necessary measure to protect Australian sovereignty, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.

“The Albanese Government is making a historic investment in Defence and has taken tough decisions to reshape the ADF to meet our strategic circumstances and to keep Australians safe,” Mr Marles said.

The RAAF Scherger Base at Weipa. Pic Tom Lee

Scherger was used as an immigration detention centre from 2010 to 2014, providing accommodation for hundreds of male detainees.

Mr Dean visited Cairns as a guest speaker at a business event hosted by James Cook University and Advance Cairns.

Originally published as How a former outback detention centre in Cape York could play a key role in protecting Australia’s borders