Malabar Battery

Malabar Battery was a coastal defence battery built in 1943 during World War II at Malabar Headland, Malabar, New South Wales, Australia. The battery is also known as Boora Point Battery.

Four story observation post forming part of the Malabar Battery (below)

The battery was constructed to complement the existing coastal defence batteries at nearby Henry Battery, Banks Battery and Bare Island Fort.

Two 6 inch Mark XII guns in gun emplacements on mountings were constructed at the battery. An underground counter bombardment facility, with gun crew ready rooms, ammunition supply and engine room together with a narrow-gauge tramway which was cut into the sandstone and lined with sandstone and a large battery observation post were also constructed at the battery.

The tramway was a single track of 560mm (22in) and was to transport the 6" projectile munitions to the shell expense stores/magazines in the base of each gun emplacement. The tramway traverses through a deep continuous cutting lined with sandstone leads from the ammunition drop off point to the basement of the ammunition supply room and up to the two gun emplacements. Before reaching the gun emplacments the line enters a rectangular section concrete tunnel which is 94m (310ft) long.

Also constructed as part of the battery were northern and southern searchlight blockhouses with associated engine rooms and the battery barracks and toilet blocks.

Following decommissioning of the gun emplacements after the war, the site fell into disrepair.

Illowra Battery, Hill 60, Port Kembla, New South Wales

This is the Hill 60 Bunker Located in Port Kembla, New South Wales. This fortifications formed part of the Kembla Fortress network. Its purpose was to defend Port Kembla in the event of a sea born attack by an enemy vessel standing off the coast during WWII.

The Australian Army took over occupation of the Hill 60 area and the Aboriginal people were forcibly removed from the land and were never permitted to return to the Hill.

Two large gun emplacements were constructed, housing BL 6 inch Mk XI guns and their shields held in storage from the decommissioned World War I cruisers HMAS Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Two large tunnels were built and are steep in descent and have a small gauge tramway used for hauling shells to the guns located at the 2 gun emplacements.

A concrete bunker is connected to the underground tunnel system.

Pictured above is one of two gun emplacement at the Illowra Battery aka Hill 60. The large steel shell is a former gun shield that was taken from one of the decommissioned World War I cruisers HMAS Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne before they were scrapped.

^{There would have to be about 15 to 20 separate rooms connected to these tunnels. Some of the rooms are quite large and were probably used as accommodation for troops and storage for ammunitions.}