The demobilisation of the Australian military following the end of the Second World War was completed in 1947 . Plans for post @-@ war defence arrangements were predicated on maintaining a relatively strong peacetime force . It was envisioned that the Royal Australian Navy maintaining a fleet that would include two light fleet carriers , two cruisers , six destroyers , 16 others ships in commission and another 52 in reserved . The Royal Australian Air Force would have a strength of 16 squadrons , including four manned by the Citizen Air Force . Meanwhile , in a significant departure from previous Australian defence policy which had previously relied on citizen forces , the Australian Army would include a permanent field force of 19 @,@ 000 regulars organised into a brigade of three infantry battalions with armoured support , serving alongside a part @-@ time force of 50 @,@ 000 men in the Citizen Military Forces . The Australian Regular Army was subsequently formed on 30 September 1947 , while the CMF was re @-@ raised on 1 July 1948 .