The Station was formed on 16 December 1940 under the command of Squadron Leader H.A. Rigby, MC. An advance party arrived at Sandgate prior to the Station's formation and found that works on the installation had been suspended. Station Headquarters, No. 3 Initial Training School and No. 3 Embarkment Depot were based at Amberley, the airmen billeted at RAAF Station Archerfield and the officers at the Hotel Canberra in Brisbane, until 18 April 1941 when the RAAF buildings at Sandgate had been completed.