Z EXPERIMENTAL STATION CAIRNS (ZES)
"THE HOUSE ON THE HILL"
FAIRVIEW FARM, MOOROOBOOL, CAIRNS
DURING WWII

The Australian military commandeered "Fairview House" on Fairview Farm at Mooroobool in Cairns, north Queensland during WWII and used it as Z Experimental Station Cairns or ZES Cairns, which was a covert Inter-Allied Services Department ISD training, communications, and operational staging establishment. "Fairview House", which was located about one mile inland from Cairns, became known as "The House on the Hill". The area had previously been known as Ah Ching's Hill. "Fairview Farm" was leased by the Royal Australian Navy for 1 Pounds a month.

ZES was established in June/July 1942, under the cover name “Z Experimental Station,” with General Blamey’s consent. It replaced the use of the Guerrilla Warfare School at Foster, Victoria, where security, holding arrangements, and the climate were problematic. The Cairns site was selected by Commander Kendall, head of Secret Intelligence Australia SIA, primarily for its suitability for its strong wireless-telegraphy reception.

Functions carried out at ZES included:-

• training in sea and land/jungle work;
• a holding camp for personnel awaiting movement;
• signals instruction in a separate wing;
• collection of intelligence material for training;
• an operational departure point, with equipment sent from Melbourne then loaded at Cairns onto submarines or aircraft for field insertion.

Australians and Netherlands East Indies NEI personnel were present at ZES in roughly equal numbers; about 80% of NEI personnel were Indonesian. The history says racial distinction was not permitted. Complaints by some European Dutch personnel of discrimination were investigated and regarded by ISD’s NEI Section as unfounded.

Lt. Anderson was the Administrative Commandant when the W/T station opened in late June 1942; Capt Israel succeeded him in July 1942, followed by Maj A. E. B. Trappes-Lomax in early August 1942. Capt Ross relieved Trappes-Lomax shortly before the transfer to the Allied Intelligence Bureau AIB. Demolitions: Lt Kemp, then Capt Wolfe from about late September 1942, assisted by Lt Thomas William Muirson. Capt R. O. D. Noone was senior intelligence instructor, assisted by Lt. Tahija of the NEI Army.

Maj P. H. Moneypenny, the UK-sent Special Operations instructor and technical adviser, split his time between Melbourne HQ and ZES from August 1942. He established a display/museum of special stores which, together with more instructors, improved the camp’s effectiveness.

The commandant at ZES could obtain normal service equipment locally and special equipment came from Melbourne by rail or air. Z Special Unit’s broad Ordnance authority was extended to Cairns, with access also to rations, petrol, and other supplies. Long-distance transport and supply were difficult; passenger freight and escorts were used to keep stores moving.

Cairns was partly evacuated and isolated when ZES opened in mid 1942. Many New Guinea operatives remained after training for up to 69 days, harming morale and security. Initial shortages of instructors and equipment were acute. Security later deteriorated as Cairns became an assembly area for Australian troops bound for New Guinea.

When ISD closed in April 1943, ZES passed to AIB for use by NEFIS III, the successor to ISD’s NEI Section. By September 1943, it was considered unavailable to the Services Reconnaissance Department SRD because it had been taken over by AIB’s Dutch Section; SRD established Fraser Commando School instead.

NEFIS used ZES Cairns as a training, holding, communications, and staging facility for Dutch/Netherlands East Indies intelligence personnel and Indonesian operatives. However the Dutch at ZES did provide accommodation and transport for SRD jungle-food, jungle-living, and jungle-tactics courses at Cairns in March and May 1945, including instruction on jungle plants by Victor Herbert Chargois and Stevens of the VDC.

Fairview House "The House on the Hill"

SRD used "The House on the Hill" to plan Operation Jaywick, the successful mission to blow up Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour. The fourteen British and Australian operatives trained in the Barron River and on the beaches north of Cairns on the Krait, an old Japanese fishing vessel in which they left Cairns on 9 August 1943 and traveled the 3,840 kms to Singapore.

ZES Cairns was used as a training and departure location for many Operations carried out by Special Operations Australia. SRD was the covername for SOA.

There is a plaque at the right hand side of the main gate at HMAS Cairns base commemorating  Z Special Unit's role during WWII. During the "Australia Remembers 50 years On" celebrations there was a table displayed at the old Cairns Post Offices of timber from "The House on the Hill".

"The House on the Hill" became a popular night club location in Cairns but later burnt down. Attila Feher-Holan remembers playing in some slit trenches at the rear of the house when he was a young boy until someone filled them all in.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Attila Feher-Holan for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 26 November 2007

This page last updated 28 September 2026