Fort Largs facts for kids
Fort Largs is a historic defence site. It is located in the seaside area of Taperoo. This is close to Port Adelaide, about 18 miles (18 km) north-west of Adelaide's city centre.
In the 1960s, Fort Largs became the South Australian Police Academy. New police housing was built on the site in 2012. By 2014, plans were made to redevelop the western part of the site. This area includes the old defence buildings. In 2016, a company called AVJennings was chosen for the redevelopment. They plan to build about 250 homes. The old World War II barracks will become apartments. The Drill Hall will be a community building. The historic fort itself will be owned and managed by the National Trust of SA.
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Why Fort Largs Was Built
In the late 1800s, there was a worry about potential attacks from other countries. Britain advised its colonies, like Australia, to improve their defences. Australia's defences were not very strong. For example, a ship once visited Melbourne, and the fort there didn't even have gunpowder to fire a salute!
An expert named William Jervois was asked to check how strong all the Australian colonies' defences were. He thought a country like Russia might attack South Australian ships. This would harm the local economy. Because of his report, two forts were built to protect Port Adelaide: Fort Glanville and Fort Largs.
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley designed both Fort Largs and Fort Glanville. Work on Fort Largs began in 1882. It was first called the Port Adelaide battery. Its barracks and a rear defence wall were finished in 1885. By 1888, Fort Largs became more important for defending the Adelaide coast.
In 1889, Fort Largs received powerful new guns. These were 6-inch breech-loading disappearing guns. They could shoot further than the guns at Fort Glanville. Because of these new weapons and changes in shipping, Fort Largs became more strategically important by 1890. In 1984, the fort was listed as a state heritage place. This means it is an important historical site.
Barracks and Drill Hall History
In May 1939, construction started on a two-story brick barracks. This building was for the artillery units at Fort Largs. A brick drill hall was also built for the militia. The barracks had a kitchen, dining room, and administration offices.
When the police took over Fort Largs in 1961, these buildings were still used. The barrack rooms were quickly changed into classrooms for police cadet training. In April 2015, the barracks and drill hall were also listed as state heritage places.
Fort Largs as a Police Academy
In the 1960s, part of the original fort was used by the South Australian Police. It became known as the Fort Largs Police Academy. This was the main training centre for South Australia Police.
Some parts of the academy site were put up for sale in 2009. New police academy housing was built on a section of the site. This new housing is just east of the old fort. The old academy site has not been used since the new police academy opened in 2012.
Future Plans for Fort Largs
As of 2016, the Fort Largs site is still mostly in its original condition. Its tunnels, gun positions, and storage areas are largely unchanged. However, the site is planned for redevelopment.
A fact sheet from May 2015 stated that the land is zoned for homes. But any new buildings must not harm the Fort, Barracks, and Drill Hall. These historic parts are included in the redevelopment area.
