Flagstaff Hill Fort
Encyclopedia
Flagstaff Hill Fort, was a fort at Flagstaff Point, Wollongong, New South Wales
, Australia
.
emplacement. The fort was dug-out of the hill using face brick walls and then earth was placed over the tunnels. The fort was intended to supersede a battery of 68 pounders to provide a deterrent to a possible Russian attack upon Wollongong Harbour
.
In 1879 the steamship ‘Havilah’ landed these 4.6 tonne, 68 pounder cannon as part of Wollongong Harbour
defences against the threat of possible Russian attack. The cannon were designed to fire a shell weighing almost 30 kg (68 pounds) up to 1.60 km. They lay unused by the harbour for 18 months without mountings and ammunition. They were finally placed near this site by the local volunteer artillery group. Endeavour Drive now covers the original position.
The gun was commissioned and first fired in 1892. The gun emplacement was provided with two range finder positions.
However by the mid 1880’s it became obvious that enemy cruisers could bombard the port out of range of these obsolete guns.
In 1890 a larger gun was positioned in a concrete pit near the summit of Flagstaff Hill. Underground rooms protected the ammunition and the gunners. By 1893 further fortifications were completed on Smith’s Hill
west of Harbour.
The Wollongong Head Lighthouse was constructed near the fort in 1938.
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
Constructed between 1890-1891, the fort was built with a disappearing gunDisappearing gun
A disappearing gun is a type of heavy artillery for which the gun carriage enabled the gun to rotate backwards and down into a pit protected by a wall or a bunker after it was fired...
emplacement. The fort was dug-out of the hill using face brick walls and then earth was placed over the tunnels. The fort was intended to supersede a battery of 68 pounders to provide a deterrent to a possible Russian attack upon Wollongong Harbour
Wollongong Harbour
The Wollongong HarbourTo the east of the Wollongong lies Flagstaff Point, a rocky headland with eroded low cliffs topped by a grassy hill.The northern side of the point was excavated by convict labour to form Belmore Basin, and later extended with the northern breakwater to create Wollongong Harbour...
.
In 1879 the steamship ‘Havilah’ landed these 4.6 tonne, 68 pounder cannon as part of Wollongong Harbour
Wollongong Harbour
The Wollongong HarbourTo the east of the Wollongong lies Flagstaff Point, a rocky headland with eroded low cliffs topped by a grassy hill.The northern side of the point was excavated by convict labour to form Belmore Basin, and later extended with the northern breakwater to create Wollongong Harbour...
defences against the threat of possible Russian attack. The cannon were designed to fire a shell weighing almost 30 kg (68 pounds) up to 1.60 km. They lay unused by the harbour for 18 months without mountings and ammunition. They were finally placed near this site by the local volunteer artillery group. Endeavour Drive now covers the original position.
The gun was commissioned and first fired in 1892. The gun emplacement was provided with two range finder positions.
However by the mid 1880’s it became obvious that enemy cruisers could bombard the port out of range of these obsolete guns.
In 1890 a larger gun was positioned in a concrete pit near the summit of Flagstaff Hill. Underground rooms protected the ammunition and the gunners. By 1893 further fortifications were completed on Smith’s Hill
Smiths Hill Fort
Smiths Hill Fort was a fort at North Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The fort was also known as Wollongong Fort.-History:Built between 1891-1893 to provide a deterrent to a possible Russian attack upon Wollongong Harbour....
west of Harbour.
The Wollongong Head Lighthouse was constructed near the fort in 1938.
Armaments
- 5.3 ton 6" (150mm) gun
See also
- Map coordinates : 34°25′19.28"S 150°54′34.83"E