Brisbane at War cultural Landscape (BraWL) Project
Aims
An archaeological analysis of the World War II cultural landscape in Brisbane and the surrounds, then and now—What were the defence (naval, military or air) facilities and sites constructed, used or resulted from World War II in Brisbane and the surrounding area? Was there a system of defences and what was the relationship if any between the sites? Were there any common characteristics between the sites, including their construction, design and aesthetic? What remains of them?
Background
Queensland was on the frontline in support of Allied offensives against the Japanese invasion of the South-west Pacific and New Guinea and has a rich history that has faded from the modern consciousness. Brisbane became the headquarters of General Douglas MacArthur who was the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area. With his arrival, Brisbane’s population doubled with the influx of 350,000 service personnel. Hundreds of facilities such as airfields; flying boat bases; coastal defence sites; military headquarters, bases, storehouses and repair depots; and naval bases were established along the coast and inland. The Queensland Department of Environment and Science currently lists 567 WWII Historical Places with 226 in the Brisbane area and a further 49 in the SE corner of Queensland. These sites include: airfields, ammunition facilities, civil defence facilities, factory and industry sites, fortifications, headquarters, internment/POW facilities, medical facilities, military accommodation, military camps, naval/port facilities, radar/signal stations, scientific facilities, supply facilities, training facilities and workshops. Some of these sites and places still exist in some capacity, whereas others have long been lost. Many of the sites have heritage protection and are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. Though these sites are listed on the Queensland Government website, locally many of the sites are not known or display any visual indication of the heritage. However, there has been no previous overarching program of identification or analysis that has considered these sites within the context of the overall defensive system which they were part of and that stopped the advancement of the Japanese Imperial forces into the South-west Pacific.
Historical World War II archaeology is in its infancy throughout the world with some battlefield work having been completed in Europe and the Pacific Islands. Very limited work has been done in Queensland and Australia with the work focused on submerged aircraft in Darwin, Broome. There is some other work in other parts of Australia, but no research could be identified related to the Brisbane and surrounding area. There may be some work related to each of the currently listed heritage sites, but no work looking at the system of defences across the Brisbane area. Any research conducted is historical in nature and not subject to peer review. No reference can be found to a consolidated analysis of the landscape during the war period and how it now exists.
