“Psst, over here” I say. Let’s uncover the secrets of Middle Head Inner Fort. This historic site is a network of lookouts, gun placements and ammunition stores. They are all interlinked by tunnels and passages.
The Middle Head Fortifications are part of Sydney Harbour’s defenses. The first fort at Middle Head was built in 1801. The last batteries were constructed in 1942. Most of the fortifications were built between 1870 and 1911.
Interestingly, the site showcases works from various periods. Different technologies are on display for us today. It marks the shift of defense away from Sydney Cove. It moved towards The Heads.
In the 1870s three sets of fortifications were built in Mosman and Middle Head. British experts upgraded them in the 1880s. The Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position still exists. So does the Georges Head Battery. A smaller fort sits on Bradleys Head. It is known as the Bradleys Head Fortification Complex.
James Barnet designed the battery on Middle Head in 1871. He was a colonial architect. The fort’s strategic location led to many additions until 1911. It was part of the outer harbour defenses. These defenses targeted enemy ships. They attempted entry through the Sydney Heads. The area is linked by tunnels. There are ancillary rooms and a gunpowder magazine. We also have a disappearing gun emplacement.
Did you know that Middle Head has its own underground power room? It is supported by iron columns. Rooms below ground trained Australia’s first troops sent to Vietnam. They learned how to withstand torture. They underwent interrogation in simulated prisoner of war conditions. About 360 men took part in the Code of Conduct program.
In 1968 the Army Intelligence Centre moved to South Australia. They left the tiger cages in their gloomy cavern. These cages are still there. They remind us of the bizarre military conduct that once took place.
Middle Head fortifications appeared in the movie Stone in 1974. Most of the area became a national park in 1979. The military moved to more strategic locations. The army base left Georges Heights in 1997. The Headquarters Training Command section relocated in 2002.
The Officers Quarters is a Victorian Regency style building. It was built on a rough stone base. James Barnet also designed it. It is one of the most significant buildings at Middle Head. The site includes a defensive ditch or moat. It has a fortification wall. The house overlooks Middle Harbour. This allowed for surveillance.
Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges once lived here. He commanded Australian forces at Gallipoli. A sniper killed him there. His warhorse Sandy returned to Australia. It lived out its days in Victoria.
During World War II the Officers Quarters served as a Red Cross Hospital. Later it housed the Australian Women’s Army Service. It continues to be used as a residence. The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust has done extensive restoration work. It has revived many old buildings.
Middle Head Military Fortifications was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. In 2004 the Chowder Bay Barracks Group was inscribed on the Commonwealth Heritage List.
As we leave Middle Head Inner Fort think about the layers of history here. From colonial defenses to Vietnam War training this place holds many stories. Take a moment to appreciate the views. Remember the echoes of the past.