Introduction
Location: 12°59’56″S 131°47’49″E (Wikimapia)
The Mount Bundey Military Training Area is located near Humpty Doo in the Northern Territory.
Also known as Mount Bundy or Mount Bundi.
Government sources
Northern Territory, Defence Environmental Partnerships, Department of Defence, 2011
In 2011-12, the Territory will host six Defence exercises:
- Exercise MATILDA – a combined non-reciprocal sub-unit exercise conducted in the Mount Bundy Training Area in which the Singapore Armed Forces and the Australian Army 1st Brigade conduct an exercise to enhance tactical skills and interoperability between both forces.
- Exercise GOLD EAGLE – a bilateral exercise conducted between elements of the Australian Army 1st Brigade and USMC to enhance tactical skills and interoperability between both forces. The exercise is conducted in the Mount Bundy Training Area.
- Exercise PREDATORS WALK – an Australian Army 1st Brigade-led activity involving combat team level, dry and live firing manoeuvres in the Mount Bundy Training Area.
Mount Bundey Military Training Area, Arnhem Hwy, Humpty Doo, NT, Australian Heritage Database
Vegetation and Soil Mapping: Mt Bundey Training Area, Brian Tunstall, Tony Orr, and Alan Marks, CSIRO Australia, Technical Report 8/98, 1998
The 100,000 ha MBTA is located 120 km south-east of Darwin, south of the Arnhem Highway between the Mary River and Kakadu national pat. The prior land use commercial grazing of the native vegetation ceased in the mid-1980s, and the property was acquired by the Commonwealth of Australia for use as a military training area in 1988. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed land use was subitted in 1991 (Kinhill, 1991), and the area became available for training in 1992.
The MBTA was primarily acquired for training by the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and NORFORCE, but was to include other elements providing support, including Armour. The usage envisaged was:
- 2nd Cavalry Regiment (approximately 19 weeks per year)
- NORFORCE (approximately 12 weeks per year)
- battalion group (approximately 6 weeks per year)
- elements of brigade-level training every three years
The eastern part of the MBTA forms the upper reaches of the Wildman River catchment, which is registered on the National Estate because of extensive wetlands. The MBTA is remote from the wetlands that form the basis for listing, but represents a significant 26% of the catchment. The associated requirement for environmentally sustainable use is reinforced by the eastern boundary of the MBTA abutting Kakadu National Park, and the western areas forming part of the Mary River floodplain.
The climate broadly divides into the wet and dry periods of November to March, and April to October, respectively. Solar radiation and ambient temperatures are generally high. Maximum daily temperatures average around 37oC in October/November and around 32oC May through July.
The annual rainfall averages around 1330 mm. Rainfall is highly seasonal with over 90% falling in the wet season of November to March.
Analysis