Bantry Bay Explosives Depot facts for kids

The Bantry Bay Explosives Depot is a special place in Killarney Heights, Australia. It used to be a storage area for explosives. This site is very old, built in 1915. Today, it is protected as a heritage-listed site. This means it's an important part of history that needs to be looked after. It is owned by the Office of Environment and Heritage.

What is its story?

The Bantry Bay Explosives Depot was built because of a safety concern. Before this, explosives were stored in boats and other places in Middle Harbour. Experts decided these places were not safe enough. They worried about accidental explosions. So, in 1908, a new, safer place was chosen at Bantry Bay.

Work on the new storage area began in 1910. By 1915, the new buildings were ready. They were called "Public Magazines." The design of the complex was very clever. It had special tram tracks. These tracks connected the storage buildings to a main receiving area and jetties on the water.

This complex was a busy place. It used different boats and special trolleys. These helped move explosives safely between the boats and the storage buildings. Over time, new technologies were developed. Also, more people started living near the area. Because of this, the Bantry Bay facility was officially closed in 1972. It stopped operating completely in May 1974.

After it closed, the area became part of Davidson Park State Recreation Area. Later, in 1992, it became part of Garigal National Park. Keeping the old buildings in good shape has been a challenge. Some repairs were done, but more work is needed. Many of the buildings are still strong. However, some parts have been damaged by vandals.

What did it look like?

The Bantry Bay Explosives Depot was built to be very safe. It was designed to handle and store explosives carefully. The main part of the complex had several storage buildings. These buildings were called magazines. They were different sizes but had similar designs.

Each magazine had a special landing platform. This platform connected to the tramway system. The buildings had strong, double brick walls. Their roofs were designed to lift off if there was an explosion. This helped to release pressure and reduce damage. The buildings also had built-in cooling systems. These systems used water from a concrete dam to keep the explosives cool. Some of the wharves (docks) were covered. This helped to protect the explosives from too much heat from the sun.

Why is it important?

The Bantry Bay Explosives Depot is a very special site. It shows a unique way of handling and storing dangerous materials. Its design was very advanced for its time. It combined storage buildings with a transport system. This made it a complete and safe facility.

Because of its unique history and design, the Bantry Bay Explosives Depot is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. It was added to this list on 2 April 1999. This means it is recognized as an important historical site. It is protected so future generations can learn from it.