Fort Banks facts for kids
Fort Banks is an old World War II fort. It was built to protect the entrance to Botany Bay in Sydney, Australia. You can find it north of Cape Banks in La Perouse, New South Wales. This fort was a very important part of Australia's defenses during the war.
Why Was Fort Banks Built?
Just before World War II began, the Australian Army needed a strong defense for Sydney Harbour. They chose a piece of land on the Cape Banks Headland. This land was previously owned by the New South Wales Golf Club. The main goal was to stop any enemy navy ships from attacking Sydney.
What Was Inside the Fort?
Fort Banks was built with some very powerful weapons. It had two huge BL 9.2 inch Mark 10 cannons. These cannons were placed inside strong concrete structures called gun emplacements. You can see one of these in the picture! These big guns were ready to fire at any ships that came too close. The fort also had barracks, which are buildings where soldiers live. These were all finished just before the war started.
During World War II, another nearby defense, the Henry Head Battery, was also reopened. It had two slightly smaller but still powerful BL 6 inch cannons. Together, Fort Banks and Henry Head Battery formed a strong line of defense for Sydney.
