Originally a sheep station, Duntroon property was chosen as the site for Australia's Military College following the government’s acceptance of a recommendation by Lord Kitchener, who had been commissioned in 1910 to report on the defence needs of the new Commonwealth. The Military College was granted the title 'Royal' at its opening on 27 June 1911.
Record holdings
Records held by the National Archives relating to the Royal Military College (RMC) document the transformation of a sheep station and its main buildings, including the imposing Duntroon homestead, into a centre for military education. These records include plans for the design and construction of new facilities and the alteration of existing buildings, photographs featuring the college and events with which it was associated, and a range of administrative files relating to the college's acquisition and development by the Commonwealth government. Some examples of records are listed below.
Architectural drawings for buildings at Royal Military College, Duntroon
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm tower | 1912 | A2502, AB1 |
| RMC pavilion | circa 1916 | A2502, AB2 |
| RMC barracks | 1916 | A2502, AB5 |
| Permanent officers accommodation | 1916 | A2502, AB7 |
| Administrative block | 1925–30 | A2502, AB9 |
| Barracks – conversion to flats | circa 1916–circa 1925 | A2502, AB10 |
| Small arms magazine | 1911 | A2502, AB17 |
| Employees hospital | 1912 | A2502, AB21 |
| RMC site plan | 1916 | A2502, AB23 |
| Plan of commemorative plaque for first Commandant | 1916 | A2502, AB29 |
| Library | circa 1911–circa 1920 | A2502, AB31 |
| Accommodation for 30 officers | circa 1916 | A2502, AB37 |
| RMC mess – SS Majors and warrant officers | 1916 | A2502, AB39 |
| RMC mess – permanent officers | 1916 | A2502, AB44 |
| Proposed additions to Quarters No. 26. | circa 1920–circa 1925 | A2502, AB52 |
| Commandant's house – front detail | 1911 | A2502, AB69 |
| Professor Barnard’s house | circa 1919–circa 1922 | A2502, AB71 |
| Proposed adaptation of hospital to school building (AC117) | 1914 | A2503, folder 1 |
| Gun shed (AC60) | 1915 | A2503, folder 1 |
| Stables (AC67) | 1915 | A2503, folder 1 |
| Cottage for NCO’s (AC95) | 1915 | A2503, folder 1 |
| Forge infirmary forage barn (AC113) | 1915 | A2503, folder 1 |
| Married men’s camp site (AC87) | 1916 | A2503, folder 1 |
| Hospital site plan (AC119) | undated | A2503, folder 1 |
| Barrack rooms for NCO's AIF Officers School (AC121) | 1916 | A2503, folder 1 |
Photographs featuring Royal Military College, Duntroon
A full set of prints from the 'Mildenhall collection’ (series A3560) is available in the Canberra research centre.
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Review of Duntroon for Imperial Press Conference | 1927 | A3560, 740 |
| Review of Guard at Duntroon by delegates of Imperial Press Conference | 1927 | A3560, 746 |
| View of the garden from the Officers' mess, Duntroon | 1926 | A3560, 2268 |
| Grave of General WT Bridges | 1927 | A3560, 2841 |
| HMS Renown party at grave of General WT Bridges | 1927 | A3560, 2899 |
| Royal Visit, May 1927 – Cadets being received by the Duke of York | 1927 | A3560, 3017 |
| Floodwaters near Duntroon from Mount Pleasant | 1927 | A3560, 7651 |
| Presentation of decorations | 1929 | A3560, 5255 |
| RMC, Duntroon from Mount Pleasant | 1929 | A3560, 5540 |
| RMC, Duntroon from Mount Pleasant | 1930 | A3560, 6483 |
Selected files relating to Royal Military College, Duntroon
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal to rent Duntroon homestead for Military College | 1910–12 | A1, 1912/9851 |
| Establishment of a school at the Royal Military College, Duntroon | 1914 | A199, FCW1914/889 |
| Dedication of certain land – Royal Military College, Duntroon for a cemetery | 1915 | A207, G1915/1918 |
| Royal Military College, Duntroon | 1917–50 | A461, C337/1/7 Part 1 |
| Site for Chapel, Royal Military College, Duntroon | 1920–23 | A361, DSG21/296 |
| Cottage sites at RMC, Duntroon | 1921 | A364, DSS1921/82 |
| Proposed lease to the Commonwealth of Royal Military College Lands at Duntroon | 1929 | A432, 1929/697 |
| Royal Military College – retention of the name Duntroon | 1930–1931 | A1, 1931/25 |