Fort Glanville Conservation Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Glanville Conservation ParkSouth Australia |
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Firing demonstration with one of the fort's RML 64 pounder 64 cwt guns
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 Fort Glanville Conservation Park
Location in South Australia
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| Nearest town or city | Semaphore Park, South Australia |
| Established | 1 January 1951 |
| Area | 5 ha (12 acres) |
| Visitation | 7,000 (in 1988) |
| Managing authorities | Department for Environment and Water |
| Website | Fort Glanville Conservation Park |
Fort Glanville Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It's located in Semaphore Park, a suburb of Adelaide right by the sea. The park is home to a real 19th-century fort, which is a very old building designed for defence. This fort is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register, meaning it's an important historical site.
The fort was built because people in South Australia couldn't decide how to defend themselves for over 40 years! It was the first fort built by the colonists in South Australia. Today, it's one of the best-preserved and most complete forts of its kind in Australia. Fort Glanville was designed by two important military figures: Major General Sir William Jervois and Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley. When it was built, its main job was to protect Semaphore's harbour and ships entering the Port River from any attacks by enemy ships.
Construction of the fort started in 1878. It officially opened in October 1880 and was fully finished by 1882. However, due to changes in the Port River and how ships moved, another fort called Fort Largs became more important by 1890. By the end of the 1800s, Fort Glanville wasn't used much for defence. It was briefly used for military purposes during World War I and World War II, but not for fighting. For most of the 1900s, the area was used for different things, like a caravan park and a Boy Scout camp.
In 1951, the fort became a conservation park. Now, the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) looks after it. They work to preserve its history and show it off to visitors. The fort and its surroundings make up the northern part of the 5-hectare park. The southern part is still a caravan park. The fort is shaped like a half-moon and was designed to be defended by soldiers on land. When it was built, it had very powerful and modern weapons. Its main guns were two huge 10-inch, 20-ton guns. It also had two 64-pounder guns. These types of guns are very rare today. The fort still has its original 19th-century cannons, and three of them have been fixed up to work again!
The Fort Glanville Historical Association helps run the park. They hold open days where they show how the fort used to operate. This includes military drills and firing the old weapons. Thanks to the Association, park staff, volunteers, and grants, the fort looks almost exactly as it did when it was first built. It's the most complete 19th-century fort in Australia. It's also one of the few in the world that is still in its original condition. You can even ride a small steam train called the Semaphore and Fort Glanville Tourist Railway from the fort to Semaphore jetty! This train is run by volunteers from the National Railway Museum.
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Why Fort Glanville Was Built
In the early days of South Australia, people thought the British Empire would protect them. Britain was very powerful and was expected to defend its colonies, even far-off ones like South Australia. For local defence, the first military group was formed in 1840, made up of volunteers.
In the 1850s, there was tension between Britain and Russia, especially during the Crimean War. This made people in Australia worry that the Russian fleet might attack. So, in 1854, a report suggested that South Australia should buy a naval ship and rely on its small local forces. But when the war ended in 1856, the fear passed, and expensive defence plans were put aside.
Over time, people agreed that Semaphore was the best place for fixed defences. They thought attackers would stay offshore at Semaphore, shell the port, and land troops. In 1858, a report suggested building towers at Semaphore and Glenelg, but they weren't built because they were too expensive.
In 1870, British troops left the Australian colonies, leaving South Australia to defend itself. In 1876, the South Australian government asked Major General Sir William Jervois, an expert in coastal forts, for advice. He arrived in 1877 with Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley. Their report suggested building three forts: at Largs Bay, Semaphore, and Glenelg. They believed South Australia would most likely face an attack from one or two ships, not a huge force. This idea shaped the design of Fort Glanville.
At this time, Semaphore was very important. It was the main entry point for passengers and mail into South Australia. It had a jetty, a signal station, and a time ball tower. Port Adelaide was the main port, with over 1000 ships visiting each year.
Building the Fort
Peter Scratchley and William Jervois were responsible for designing Fort Glanville and choosing its location. The fort was built on sandhills near Glanville Hall in Semaphore. This spot was chosen to best protect ships sailing to the Port River and the Outer Harbour. At the time, it was seen as a defence against threats, mainly from Russia.
The plans for the fort were finished in June 1878. The contract to build Fort Glanville was given to John Robb in August for about £15,893. Construction started in 1878. Even though it was fully completed by 1882, the fort was ready to be used in 1880. Changes were made during construction to improve security, like adding a rear-defence wall.
By January 1880, two guns were in place. The fort officially opened on October 2, 1880, with a big ceremony. They even fired the guns at a target far offshore! The total cost of the fort was about £36,000. When it was built, it was considered very modern and advanced for its time.
At first, the fort was called the Semaphore Battery, then South Battery, and finally Fort Glanville. The name Glanville came from nearby Glanville Hall, which belonged to John Hart, a former Premier of South Australia. He named his house after his mother's maiden name, Glanville.
People at the Fort
After it opened, the fort was staffed by volunteer soldiers, but only on weekends. This changed in mid-1882 when South Australia formed its first permanent military force. Fort Glanville became the main base for this force, which started with one officer and eighteen soldiers. By 1889, the unit had grown to 45 soldiers.
The fort was also used during World War I. In November 1914, one non-commissioned officer and 11 gunners were stationed there. Military records show the fort was staffed until at least mid-1918.
Two important people who served at the fort are remembered:
- Battery Sergeant Major Charles Moritz: He was the first soldier to join the Permanent Artillery.
- Joseph Maria Gordon (1856–1929): He was the fort's first commander. He later became the Chief of the General Staff for the Australian Military Forces.
Fort Structure and Design
The fort is designed as a defensive battery, not a strong fortress. It has a half-moon shape, also called a lunette. The guns were meant to defend Port Adelaide and Semaphore, not just the fort itself. Soldiers on land were supposed to help defend the fort and stop any enemy landings.
The fort still looks much like it did originally. The entrance road from Military Road led to the fort's back gates. Today, the Queen Elizabeth II Walk follows much of this old path. This walk connects the park's visitor centre to the fort gates.
The area where soldiers used to gather for training, called the muster ground, is now partly a caravan park and car park. In the 19th century, this ground was used for training volunteer troops. The back of the fort was originally protected by a wooden fence called a palisade. In 1881, a strong stone wall was added to make it even safer. Most of the wooden fence was rebuilt in the 1970s.
Defensive Features
The main defensive part of the fort is a strong earthwork shaped like a lunette. It has a thick wall called a rampart, which is 15 metres (50 feet) thick. This rampart is covered with natural plants. The fort also had a gentle slope called a glacis around it, which helped hide the fort and protect it. This slope was made from the surrounding sandhills.
Between the rampart and the glacis is a ditch, about 3.6 metres (12 feet) wide. This ditch could be swept with rifle fire from a special room called a caponier. The outer slope of the glacis was designed to be hit by special "case shot" fired from the fort's 64-pounder guns.
Access to the fort is through double gates at the back. These gates were removed over time and have been rebuilt. Inside, between the back walls and the barracks, is the formal parade ground. This area was used for training, assembly, and parades.
Inside the Fort
Near the 64-pounder guns are two small rooms called expense stores. These were used to keep ammunition ready for the guns. Between the big 10-inch guns are two raised platforms for gun commanders to watch where their shells landed. Below the 10-inch guns is a T-shaped loading gallery. This gallery used a hoist system to bring shells and gunpowder up from the magazine below.
The magazine is a room directly under the 10-inch gun loading gallery. It's where gunpowder and shells were stored safely.
The caponier (rifle gallery) sticks out into the ditch from the fort's north-west corner. It's connected to the fort by a tunnel that runs under the rampart. The caponier has small openings for rifles and was protected from enemy artillery fire by the glacis.
Fort Buildings
The barracks building has two levels and rifle firing holes on all sides. The first floor of the barracks had rooms for officers and a large room for the troops. This room could hold about 20 men. Today, it's set up to show what a barracks room looked like back then.
The basement of the barracks had the gunner's mess (dining area), a canteen, a store, a pantry, and an officer's kitchen. The canteen sold daily necessities and snacks to the soldiers.
A laboratory was built into the fort's rear wall on the southern side. This room was used to prepare gunpowder charges for the guns. A guardhouse was built in 1885. It had a guard's room and separate cells. Today, it's used as a duty room for the drill squad during demonstrations.
Fort Weapons
The first plans for the fort's weapons were very expensive and were changed. The final design by Jervois and Scratchley included two 10-inch, 20-ton rifled muzzle-loading (RML) guns and two 64-pounder RML guns. The 20-ton guns were chosen because the Royal Arsenal couldn't make the standard 18-ton guns in time. These four heavy guns are still at the fort today.
The Big 10-inch Guns
The fort's main weapons were the two RML 10-inch, 20-ton guns. They were made in 1879. These guns had a 10-inch wide barrel and could fire a 400-pound projectile up to 6,500 yards (about 6 kilometres). They used a 130-pound gunpowder charge. While they weren't strong enough for big battleships, they were good for the smaller enemy ships the fort expected to face.
The guns were loaded manually by a 14-man crew, which took about 2 minutes. The fort originally had a mechanical loading system, but it didn't work well. By 1902, these guns had fired 219 rounds. In 1937, the platforms and parts of the guns were removed and sold for scrap. However, the huge gun barrels were too difficult to cut up, so they were left in place. One gun platform was rebuilt in 1997 by volunteers.
The 64-pounder Guns
The fort also had two Mark III RML 64 pounder 64 cwt guns. These were heavy guns with a 6.3-inch steel barrel. They were made in 1872. Their job was to protect the sides and approaches to the fort. These smaller guns used an 8-pound gunpowder charge to send a 64-pound projectile up to 5,000 yards (about 4.5 kilometres).
These two guns are thought to be the last of their kind in the world in this specific setup. By 1902, they had fired 1540 practice rounds. In 1909, the guns were removed from the fort and placed in a garden in North Adelaide. Both guns were returned to the fort in 1976 and put back on restored carriages. They are the only two guns of their type left in Australia. One of these guns is regularly fired by the Fort Glanville Historical Association volunteers during demonstrations.
Neither type of heavy gun at Fort Glanville was ever fired in a real battle.
Other Weapons at the Fort
From 1890, the fort also had other movable weapons. It received a 12-pounder RML field gun and a 5-barrel Nordenfelt gun. These were used for practice but became outdated by 1902.
The fort also acquired three 16-pounder RML Mark I field guns in the late 20th century. One of these guns is complete and used for blank firings by the Historical Association. There is also a 2-pounder RML Whitworth mountain gun from 1867. This is one of only two known to exist in the world.
The visitor centre has two 9-pounder brass smoothbore field guns from 1819. These guns were used for practice near the fort around 1860. They were later used as saluting guns at Fort Largs. Today, they are on loan to Fort Glanville for display. Outside the visitor's centre, there is a 6-inch breech-loading Armstrong gun from 1884. This gun was used in Victoria and was donated to the park in 1984.
Fort Glanville's Importance Today
Fort Glanville Conservation Park is one of South Australia's most important historical sites. It's a top place in Australia to see and learn about colonial-era defences and forts. The fort is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register and is considered very important for Australia's military history. This is because of its connection to Jervois and Scratchley, who were leading British defence experts.
The fort was built very well with high-quality materials, which has helped it stay preserved. It is mostly intact and in original condition. It's one of the best-preserved forts designed by Jervois and Scratchley in Australia. It's also the only Australian colonial fort that still has all its original weapons. Plus, it's the only one that regularly has "living history" programs. Its sister fort, Fort Largs, still exists but has been changed a lot to be used as the South Australia Police academy.
The conservation park is in Semaphore Park. It covers about 5 hectares (12 acres) and is managed by the DEW. The northern part has the fort, and the southern part has a caravan park.
The Fort Glanville Historical Association is a group of volunteers who help run the fort and visitor centre. They hold public open days every month where they recreate the fort's history. This includes showing military drills and firing the fort's weapons. The association also has displays about the fort's active period and sells souvenirs. Their goal is to have the fort open as a fully working fort for learning, tourism, and education. The volunteers also do living history and ceremonial work outside the fort.
You can ride the Semaphore and Fort Glanville Tourist Railway from the fort to Semaphore jetty. This small steam train is run by volunteers from the National Railway Museum. The railway opened in December 1992 and carries over 16,000 passengers each year.
Images for kids
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Soldiers on parade at Fort Glanville
