Fort Lytton

The fort consists of almost a hectare of buildings, gunpits, tunnels and other structures embedded in a pentagonal earth mound wall, surrounded by a water-filled moat.

Fort Lytton is the birthplace of Queensland's military history. It is a 19th century coastal fort in the suburb of Lytton in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The name “Fort Lytton” is also used to describe the one square mile (259 hectares) military base that surrounded the fort. Fort Lytton was built in 1880-1882, and operated until after the Second World War (“WW2”). The historic fort is now contained in Fort Lytton National Park. The park is open to the public on most Sundays and public holidays. Guided tours are provided by Fort Lytton Historical Association, a non-profit volunteer organisation.^[1]

Colonial Era

Fort Lytton was built in 1880-1882 in response to a fear that a foreign colonial power such as Russia or France might launch a naval attack on Brisbane or its port, both of which were located along the banks of the Brisbane River. The fort was designed by Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Scratchley. It was located at the mouth of the Brisbane river, and was designed to deny enemy vessels access to the river. This was initially achieved by a remote-controlled minefield across the mouth of the river, and four muzzle-loading heavy guns (two 80pdrs and two 64pdrs). By 1888, the 80pdr guns were replaced with two 6inch 100pdr breech-loading disappearing guns. Five years after that, the defences were increased with the addition of two quick-firing Hotchkiss 3pdr guns. The minefield was closed in 1908, but the disappearing guns continued in operation until 1938.

Throughout its life, Fort Lytton was a major training base. Thousands of soldiers trained at Fort Lytton for the Boer War and both World Wars. For its first forty years the fort was also the main training base for Queensland's reserve soldiers. Each year up to 5000 reservists attended training at Fort Lytton's "Easter Encampment".

The Australian colonies were part of the British Empire, which had made many enemies by the nineteenth century, when other colonial powers were rapidly expanding their empires. At the time the fort was built, Brisbane had fewer than 100,000 people, with an annual trade worth more than four million pounds. Brisbane was more vulnerable to naval attack than Sydney or Melbourne as it was just three days' sail from the French naval garrison at Nouméa. Local defences were essential as Moreton Bay had numerous island on which the enemy could establish a base.^[2] Based on the recommendations of the illustrious British soldiers and military tacticians Colonel Sir William Jervois and Scratchley, Queensland opted to rely heavily on Fort Lytton as a fixed defence position for its capital and wealthiest port, Brisbane.

The fort is a typical nineteenth century garrison - a pentagonal fortress concealed behind grassy embankments - surrounded for greater protection by a water-filled moat. Approval for construction of the fort at Lytton was given by the Parliament of Queensland in 1878.^[2] A field force of field artillery, engineers and infantry was also established to defend against a land attack by enemy forces. The government didn't favour cavalry, as mounted soldiers could be recruited from the police force in an emergency . A small marine defence force was also developed, consisting of the two gunboats Gayundah and Paluma, the torpedo boat Mosquito and a number of armed barges.

World War I

Fort Lytton was put to the test twice in World War I. The fort's guns were used to warn a Dutch steamer and a fishing vessel which appeared to be ignoring official wartime maritime procedures.

World War II

Fort Lytton's role in WW2 was very different from previous times. It was now part of a much larger defence system. Between 1937 and 1943, four more coastal forts were built to defend Moreton Bay. These forts provided the outer defence to prevent enemy vessels from reaching the mouth of the Brisbane River, while Fort Lytton provided the inner defence. The four outer forts were Fort Bribie and Fort Skirmish on Bribie Island, and Fort Cowan Cowan and Fort Rous on Moreton Island. Each of these forts was equipped with two six inch guns, giving combined coverage of most of Moreton Bay. Also, the navy operated indicator loops and remote-controlled minefields in the deep water channels of Moreton Bay, giving them the potential to detect and destroy enemy vessels including submerged submarines. One of Fort Lytton's roles was "Inner Inspection Station". This meant that it could send out inspection parties to board and inspect ships to insure it was safe to allow them to proceed up the river. A ship (HMAS Kinchala) was permanently anchored near the middle of the river off Fort Lytton. Two permanent heavy steel boom nets blocked the river permanently on the far side of Kinchela. Two movable steel boom net gates blocked the river between Kinchela and the fort, and were opened and closed by a large winches mounted at Fort Lytton and on Kinchela. Search lights illuminated the net when required. Warning of vessels approaching the boom was provided by indicator loop and photo-electic beam systems across the river mouth downstream of the fort. Guns at fort were used in protect the boom gate. These included a 4.7 inch naval gun and a twin 6 pounder rapid-fire gun which was remotely controlled from a 15m high lookout tower. Many other defence activities were based at Fort Lytton including a signals station, a radar station and a heavy anti-aircraft battery. Brisbane's defences were progressively strengthened during WW2, in line with Brisbane's increasing strategic significance to the war effort. In particular, by 1943, Brisbane was the a major submarine base. A total of 89 submarines were dry docked for repairs in Brisbane over a three year period.

Lytton Hill

Lytton Hill was the only significant hill in the one square mile Fort Lytton complex, giving it enormous defensive significance. It is located about three quarters of a mile (1200m) east of the colonial fort. In the mid 1880s a redoubt (mini-fort) was constructed on the hill to serve as a lookout and as a base for the infantry and field artillery units that were needed to protect Fort Lytton from an attack by land. The redoubt was connected to Fort Lytton by telegraph, no doubt backed up by more traditional signalling means such as semaphore. Lytton Hill was able to observe and report ship movements in Moreton Bay, and land movements of attacking forces. In the Second World War, Lytton Hill accommodated an army signals station and a Royal Austrlian Airforce radar station. At various times Lytton Hill was also used for civilian applications such as for semaphore communications with the prison located on St. Helena Island, to temporarily accommodate a boys reformatory school, and as a radar station for the Brisbane Pilot Service.

Post War

Fort Lytton began closing down as soon as the Second World War ended. However, the signal station remained in operation until late 1965, when the site was handed over to the AMPOL oil company to build an oil refinery. Whilst most of the site was transformed into oil refining and storage facilities, three parcels of land were left in tact. They were the site of the colonial fort and associated structures, Lytton Hill and its associated structures, and the site of the heavy anti-aircraft battery, containing four protected gun pits and a command post. The oil company transferred the site of the colonial fort and other structures to the Queensland Government in 1988, and this became Fort Lytton National Park in 1990. Lytton Hill and the heavy anti-aircraft battery remain inside the refinery.

Gallery

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1. The first of about forty annual Easter training encampments at Fort Lytton. Taken from Lytton Hill facing roughly north. (Fort Lytton Military Museum).
2. Engineers at Fort Lytton with submarine mine c.1890. (Fort Lytton Military Museum).
3. Encampment at Fort Lytton. Taken from Lytton Hill facing roughly north west. Training encampments could be large, sometimes up to nearly 5000 people. c1895. (StateLibQld 1 44011)
4. Armstrong 1886 6inch 100pdr Breech Loading Disappearing Gun in Firing Position at Fort Lytton c1900. (Fort Lytton Military Museum).
5. This ship ("Miner") serviced the minefield at Fort Lytton. 1908. (Fort Lytton Military Museum).
6. The last submarine mine being exploded at Fort Lytton on closure of the submarine minefield 1908. (Fort Lytton Military Museum).
7. Lord Kitchener visiting Fort Lytton. 1910. (StateLibQld 2 239977)
8. Anti-submarine boom (net) at Fort Lytton during the Second World War. Two moving boom gates were operated by winches located at the fort and on the permanently anchored ship. (Fort Lytton Military Museum).
9. Boom gate in open position (foreground) and permanently anchored ship ("HMAS Kinchela") (background). 1943. (Australian War Memorial 060053).
10. 4.7inch gun protecting the river barrier at Fort Lytton, 1943 (Australian War Memorial 060050)
11. Gunners at 4.7inch gun watching vessels at river mouth. 1943. (Australian War Memorial 060051).
12. Twin-6pdr gun providing anti-motor-torpedo-boat defence at Fort Lytton 1943 (protected mount - foreground, command tower (background). (Australian War Memorial 060047)
13. Officers inspection breeches of twin 6pdr gun. 1943. (Australian War Memorial 060048)
14. 'T' Australian Heavy Battery at Fort Lytton with M1917-18 155mm heavy gun. Heads are bowed during a ceremony on Armistice Day 1943(Australian War Memorial 060027)
15. One of four 3.7inch heavy anti-aircraft guns at Fort Lytton. 1943. (Australian War Memorial 060060)
16. Gunners working on 3.7inch heavy anti-aircraft gun. 1943.(Australian War Memorial 060055)
17. 651st Light Anti-aircraft Battery, Volunteer Defence Corps training on Bofors gun at Fort Lytton 1944 (Australian War Memorial 063197)

Notes and References

Further reading

• Charles Wentworth Dilke and Spenser Wilkinson, Imperial defence, London, Macmillan and Co, 1892
• G. Ginn and Gordon Grimwade, 'Fortification, Federation and a single shot in anger: Green Hill Fort, Thursday Island', Proceedings of the Eleventh National Conference on Engineering Heritage, Institution of Engineers, Canberra 2001, 77-84
• Geoff Ginn, Hilary Davies and Brian Rough (eds), ‘A most promising corps’: citizen soldiers in colonial Queensland, Brisbane, Colonial Forces Study Group, 2010
• Heritage Buildings Group, ‘Fort Lytton Conservation Plan’ (draft report), 1993
• D.H. Johnson, Volunteers at heart: the Queensland Defence Forces, 1860–1901, Brisbane, University of Queensland Press, 1975
• C. Kinloch Cooke, Australian defences and New Guinea, compiled from the papers of the late Major-General Sir Peter Scratchley, R.E., K.C.M.G., London, Macmillan and Co, 1887
• W.F.D. Jervois, ‘Defences: preliminary report’ Queensland votes and proceedings (1877) vol 1, 1275–95
• Spethman, DW and Miller RG, 'Fortress Brisbane: a guide to the historic fixed defence sites of Brisbane and the Moreton Bay Islands', Brisbane, nd.

External links

• Fort Lytton National Park website
• Fort Lytton Historical Association website

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fort Lytton.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lytton Quarantine Station.

Category:National parks of South East Queensland Category:Protected areas established in 1990 Category:Register of the National Estate Category:Forts in Australia Category:Buildings and structures in Brisbane Category:Government buildings completed in 1881 Category:Parks in Brisbane Category:Museums in Queensland Category:Military and war museums in Australia Category:Queensland Heritage Register Category:Military buildings and structures in Queensland Category:Lytton, Queensland