The Benedict Stone Factory was owned by the Catholic Church in Brisbane, and had been used to manufacture cast stone. The building, approximately 160′ x 45′, was timber framed and lined with galvanised iron. It was obtained through the Australian Army Hiring Service for the US Navy, which took possession from 22 September 1942, and converted into a Torpedo Repair and Conditioning Shop.

The navy added a 75′ extension to the building, new crane-rails, a compressor and generator shed, toilet facilities, and a second floor over the workshop. Electric power and lighting were also installed. The torpedo shop could hold seventy-two...