 During World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945), troop camps were located in the area because of deep berthing available to ships at Pinkenba on the mouth of the Brisbane River.Passenger ships of the Orient Steam Navigation Company—later P&O—used the Pinkenba wharf, and special trains ran from Brisbane.The HMS Nabreekie Mobile Naval Air Base and a large army camp defense storage and warehouse facility were located near Meeandah railway station during World War II; the army camp remains today as the Damascus Barracks.