THE
Bribie Gem
Issue Two | May 2017 Paul @Coolumdiver
Lest we forget On ANZAC Day, we come together as a community to honour the sacrifice of our fallen and pay respects to all the service men and women who have protected our country to this very day. We pledge our thanks to you and your ongoing commitment to the safety of this great nation.
We will remember them. Like much of Australia’s eastern coast, Bribie Island has seen its fair share of involvement within the world conflicts. The Bribie Island WWII Fortifications are a stark reminder of times gone by and the significant role the area played in defending Australia’s shores.
Did you know? We hold our morning tea meet ‘n’ greets every Thursday at 10am at a variety of local venues on Bribie Island. Get in touch to find out more!
Located in quiet areas across the stretch of Ocean and Woorim Beach, the Bribie Island WWII Fortifications were built between 1939 and 1943 as part of a system of defence overlooking southeast Queensland. These fortifications provided artillery training for Australian soldiers for overseas service, in addition to significant involvement in naval defences across various sites on the Moreton Bay Islands. Six months prior to the outbreak of the war, a fort that contained two 6” Mark XI guns along with a Battery Observation Post, were placed at north Bribie in addition to a soldier barracks at Caloundra. The batteries soon extended to a second fortification, that would initially be considered temporary. During a much needed upgrade to Bribie’s defences, a major fortification was erected, known as Fort Bribie. Fort Bribie was placed on strategic grounds owing to its more advantageous position to the shipping channel as opposed to placement at Caloundra. The concrete structures of Fort Bribie were fully operational by early 1942 and camouflaged in 1943.
What’s inside...
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The Fort Bribie layout would change frequently, with the Command Post being moved and new buildings being constructed. At least eight of these structures remain to this day. The Fortress Observation Post located near the Caloundra coast, would command the batteries of Moreton Bay. Target positions were deduced using range finding apparatus. Once located, the information would be telephoned to the Fort Plotting Room at the Battery Observation Post on Bribie Island, who would then trace the path of a target. From this point, calculations would be made for the elevation and bearing of the guns so that they would be trained upon the target. These instructions would then be relayed to the gun crews, who would await the command to fire. After Japan’s entry into the war in early December 1941, reinforcements were sent to Fort Bribie and Fort Cowan Cowan in order to strengthen their existing defences. After the onslaught of the Pacific War, the Americans began supplying large numbers of men and material. Continued on page 2
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