| Fort Lytton National Park Queensland | |
|---|---|
 Inside the moat of the fort. | |
  Fort Lytton National Park | |
| Coordinates | 27°24′44″S 153°09′00″E / 27.41222°S 153.15000°E |
| Established | 1990 |
| Area | 0.13 km2 (0.050 sq mi) |
Fort Lytton National Park is located in the suburb of Lytton, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) northeast of the Brisbane CBD near the mouth of the Brisbane River. It contains two historic heritage-listed precincts: Fort Lytton military precinct and Lytton Quarantine Station precinct. Each precinct contains many original buildings, while the fort also contains a lot of other structures such as gun-pits, triangulation stations, tunnels and a moat. The park also houses an extensive military museum. Fort Lytton National Park is open on Sundays and public holidays, when admission and guided tours are both free. [1] Access to the park can be arranged at other times and is usually subject to fees.[2]
Fort Lytton edit
Fort Lytton was constructed in 1880-1881 to protect both the city and the port of Brisbane from naval attack. After the Australian colonies became a federation (the Commonwealth of Australia) in 1901, the fort and the land on which it stood were transferred to the Commonwealth. Fort Lytton continued to operate as a military base until shortly after the Second World War (WW2). It was closed down progressively, the last operation to close being the signal station which closed in 1965. The land and fort were sold to the Ampol oil company in 1963, as the site for a new oil refinery (now the Caltex Refinery). The land contained three parcels that had particular historic significance. These were the land containing the original fort, the land containing Lytton Hill, and the land containing the remains of a WW2 heavy anti-aircraft battery. In 1988 Ampol transferred the parcel containing the original fort to the Queensland Government, and this became Fort Lytton National Park in 1990.
Fort Lytton Historical Association edit
Soon after the creation of the national park, volunteers of the Royal Artillery Association of Queensland created a sub-branch to work with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to develop a historic military exhibit for the public. That sub-branch became Fort Lytton Historical Association (FLHA) in 1999. FLHA is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides free guided tours of the Fort on Sundays and public holidays.[1] It also operates the Visitor Information Centre and sells basic refreshments. FLHA seeks donations to cover its expenses
Fort Lytton Military Museum edit
Since 1990, the Royal Artillery Association volunteers, and subsequently the FLHA volunteers, have worked closely with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to research, develop and operate an extensive military museum. The museum has a collection of over 2000 items which are distributed throughout the park including in 5 buildings, 6 gun pits, 2 shelter structures and several open air locations. Admission to the museum is free, although two of the buildings can only be accessed on guided tours.[3]
Lytton Quarantine Station edit
The Lytton Quarantine Station was established in 1913-1914, to accommodate newly arrived immigrants and persons considered to be at risk of causing infection to the general population. The quarantine station was on land adjacent to Fort Lytton. By the late 1980s the quarantine station had closed completely. In 1988 management of part of the quarantine site and buildings, including the quarantine station jetty, was taken over by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and was incorporated into Fort Lytton National Park in 1999. The quarantine station is not open to the public, but visitors can walk around the outside of the buildings.[4] The Visitor and Information Centre (which is also the headquarters of Fort Lytton Historical Association) previously housed the quarantine station laundry.
Notes and References edit
- ^ a b Except for a period over Christmas and New Year, and Good Friday. See Coming Events for up-to-date information. "Gold Coin" donations are encouraged when guided tours are undertaken.
- ^ Call Fort Lytton National Park on 07 3393 4647
- ^ The submarine mining building and the black powder rooms.
- ^ See Lytton Quarantine Station
External links edit
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