The Middle Head Fortifications is a heritage-listed former defence establishment and military

fortification A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere' ...

s and now public space located at Middle Head Road,

Middle Head Middle or The Middle may refer to: * Centre (geometry), the point equally distant from the outer limits. Places * Middle (sheading), a subdivision of the Isle of Man * Middle Bay (disambiguation) * Middle Brook (disambiguation) * Middle Creek ( ...

, in the

Mosman Council Mosman Council is a local government area on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Mayor of Mosman Council is Cr. Carolyn Corrigan, a representative of the Serving Mosman independent political group since 9 Septembe ...

local government area of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. It is also known as the Middle Head Military Fortifications or The Old Fort. The fortifications consist of the Outer Middle Head Battery located at the end of Old Fort Road, the Inner Middle Head Battery located at the end of Governors Road, and the Obelisk batteries reached by a path from the corner of Middle Head Road and Chowder Bay Road. The fortifications at Middle Head formed part of Sydney Harbour's defences. The property is owned by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. It was added to the

New South Wales State Heritage Register The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...

on 2 April 1999.

History

The first fort at Middle Head was built in 1801 and the last batteries were constructed in 1942. The majority of the fortifications were built between 1870 and 1911. The site contains the works of several periods and technologies, which remain in place for review today. Historically it dates from the time when defence was first moved away from Sydney Cove and towards The Heads. There were three sets of fortifications built in Mosman and Middle Head in the 1870s, these were upgraded in the 1880s on the advice of British experts. These fortifications still exist and are now heritage listed, they are, the

Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position The Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position is located in the urban locality of Georges Heights in the suburb of Mosman, on the shores of Port Jackson, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position was cons ...

, the

Georges Head Battery The Georges Head Battery, also called the Georges Head Military Fortifications, is a heritage-listed former military fortification located on the Georges Head on Chowder Bay Road, Georges Heights, in the suburb of Mosman, in the Mosman Counci ...

and a smaller fort located on

Bradleys Head Bradleys Head is a headland protruding from the north shore of Sydney Harbour, within the metropolitan area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is named after the First Fleet naval officer William Bradley. The original Aboriginal ...

, known as the Bradleys Head Fortification Complex. The battery on Middle Head built in 1871 was designed by

James Barnet James Johnstone Barnet, (1827 in Almericlose, Arbroath, Scotland – 16 December 1904 in Forest Lodge, Sydney, New South Wales) was the Colonial Architect for Colonial New South Wales, serving from 1862 to 1890. Early life Born the son of a ...

, a colonial architect. The fort was built on a strategic location and received many additions until 1911. It formed part of a network of 'outer harbour' defences. They were designed to fire at enemy ships as they attempted entry through the Sydney Heads. The whole area is linked by an extensive network of tunnels, ancillary rooms,

gunpowder magazine A gunpowder magazine is a magazine (building) designed to store the explosive gunpowder in wooden barrels for safety. Gunpowder, until superseded, was a universal explosive used in the military and for civil engineering: both applications ...

and a

disappearing gun A disappearing gun, a gun mounted on a ''disappearing carriage'', is an obsolete type of artillery which enabled a gun to hide from direct fire and observation. The overwhelming majority of carriage designs enabled the gun to rotate back ...

emplacement Emplacement may refer to: * A place where something is located * Fortification ** Artillery battery ** Casemate, fortified gun emplacement ** Redoubt, enclosed defense emplacement * The geological process of pluton emplacement See also * * * P ...

. The site has its own underground power room that is supported by iron columns. Rooms located below ground were used to train some of Australia's first troops who were sent to Vietnam in 'Code of Conduct' courses, which were lessons in how to withstand torture and interrogation, by simulating prisoner of war conditions. In 1974 the Middle Head fortifications featured in the movie ''

Stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

''. In 1979 most of the area became national park and the military has moved on to more strategic locations. The army base on site which included the transport group and 30 Terminal Squadron, left Georges Height's in 1997. The Headquarters Training Command section relocated to the Victoria Barracks in 2002.

The Officers Quarters

The Officers quarters is a Victorian Regency style building that was built on a rough stone base. It was designed by Colonial Architect

and is considered to be one of the most significant buildings at Middle Head. The site incorporates a defensive ditch or moat and includes a fortification wall. The house looking in the direction of Middle Harbour meant that it could be used for surveillance purposes as well. One former resident was Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges , the first commander of the

First Australian Imperial Force The First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during the First World War. It was formed as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) following Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 15 Au ...

and the commander of Australian forces in the Gallipoli Campaign. Throsby Bridges was killed by a sniper whilst leading the forces at Gallipoli. His warhorse Sandy was brought back to Australia, seeing out its days in Victoria. Primarily used as a residence this building originally housed two officers separately, a senior and junior officer. During World War II this building served as a Red Cross Hospital and later as accommodation for the Australian Women's Army Service. The house continues to be used as a residence.

Restoration

Extensive restoration work has been conducted by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust which has revived many of the old buildings. The sites facilities include: *Former military hospital buildings *Former Officers' mess *Former barracks converted to the School of Pacific Administration *Former 10 Terminal Transport Depot, later the Army School of Intelligence *30 Terminal Transport Depot *Former Submarine Miners' Depot, later Army Maritime School *Wharf, jetty *Training facilities *Fortifications systems *Depots, barracks, mess halls *Residential accommodation *Ovals

Heritage listing

Middle Head Military Fortifications was listed on the

on 2 April 1999 and in 2004 the Barracks Group, including the Georges Head Battery, was inscribed on the

Commonwealth Heritage List The Commonwealth Heritage List is a heritage register established in 2003, which lists places under the control of the Australian government, on land or in waters directly owned by the Crown (in Australia, the Crown in right of the Commonwealth ...

Gallery

File:RML gun Middle Head 1891 AWM P00991.031.jpg, RML gun being removed in 1891 File:MiddleGeorgeshedfort 1.5 middle head tunnel pano.jpg, Inside the underground fortress tunnel network File:1Middleheadfortress0055.JPG File:Midheadfort.jpg, An underground power room supported by iron columns that was used to train some of Australia's first troops that were sent to Vietnam in 'Code of Conduct' courses with tigers cages pictured on the left and gun emplacements File:MiddleGeorgeshedfort0264.JPG File:RML 10 inch gun being dismantled Middle Head 1893 AWM P00991.041.jpg, RML 10 inch gun being dismantled at the fortification in 1893 and the remains of a former depression range finding station File:MiddleGeorgeshedfort0220.JPG, A side view of the officers quarters with fortified wall in view File:View south from Gunners Barracks, Middle Head, Sydney, NSW 03.jpg, Gunners Barracks, Middle Head, Sydney File:View south from Gunners Barracks, Middle Head, Sydney, NSW 04.jpg, Gunners Barracks, tactically situated into the hillside so as not to be visible from the water. The barracks buildings were constructed from sandstone excavated onsite.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * *

Attribution

External links

www.harbourtrust.gov.au Middle Head history.Australian Bunker & Military Museum.

{{Barracks Batteries Bunkers and Forts in Sydney Former Barracks in Australia Batteries in Australia Bunkers in Oceania Forts in New South Wales History of Sydney James Barnet buildings in Sydney Mosman Council New South Wales State Heritage Register Former military installations in New South Wales Squares in Australia Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register 1801 establishments in Australia Military installations established in 1801 Military installations closed in 1997 New South Wales places listed on the defunct Register of the National Estate Sydney Harbour National Park Commonwealth Heritage List places in New South Wales