Green Hill Fort facts for kids

Green Hill Fort is an old military fort on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia. It's a special place because it shows how Australia started to take charge of its own defence. This happened when Britain was still in charge of many things.

In 1885, there was a big disagreement between Britain and Russia. This almost led to a war. It made the Australian colonies realise they needed to work together. They decided to pay for forts like Green Hill Fort. This was a rare time before Australia became a country when colonies cooperated for everyone's safety. Green Hill Fort was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 28 May 2008.

History of Green Hill Fort

Green Hill Fort was built between 1891 and 1893. It was part of a big defence plan for Australia before the country officially became a federation. The fort was built because of fears about Russia in 1885. It also responded to European countries expanding into New Guinea and the South Pacific.

Several Australian colonies helped pay for the fort. These included New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia. Britain provided the weapons. Queensland paid for and supplied the soldiers who guarded the fort.

The fort had underground storage rooms and barracks for soldiers. It was guarded from 1893 to 1926. But Green Hill Fort never actually fired its guns in a real battle.

Why Thursday Island Was Important

People knew that the Torres Strait was important for trade and defence as early as the 1830s. The British and Queensland governments agreed in 1860 that a port was needed on Cape York Peninsula. They also thought soldiers should be in far north Queensland.

In 1864, the Queensland government set up a settlement called Somerset. It was a safe place for ships and a supply stop. The British government helped pay for it. They also sent a small group of Royal Marines until 1867.

In 1872, Queensland took control of the Torres Strait islands. The government moved its main port from Somerset to Thursday Island. This new port, called Port Kennedy, became very busy. It served many ships travelling through the Torres Strait. This route was important for trade with Asia and England.

Defence Plans for Australia

In 1877, the colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia were worried about defending their coastlines. They asked two British military experts, Colonel Sir William Jervois and Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Scratchley, to inspect their defences. These experts suggested ways to make the defences better.

Scratchley was very good at designing strong forts for coastal defence. He believed forts should be near important ports. He also thought that Australia needed volunteer soldiers to protect against small attacks. He felt that Britain's strong navy would protect Australia from bigger threats.

Jervois thought the main danger to Queensland was attacks on its major ports. These attacks would be to get supplies and coal. He suggested a telegraph station on Thursday Island. In 1881, Scratchley said the island should be fortified. He saw it as a key link between Australia and Asia.

Working Together for Defence

Scratchley said a fortified coaling station in the north was vital for Australia's defence. But Queensland alone could not afford it. In 1883, Britain did not support Queensland taking control of New Guinea. Later, Germany and Britain both claimed parts of New Guinea.

Then came the 1885 confrontation between Britain and Russia. This made the colonies realise how important it was to protect coaling stations. These were places where ships could get coal. Two key stations were at King George's Sound and Thursday Island.

Defence became a big topic in the discussions about Australia becoming a federation. In 1889, New South Wales Premier Sir Henry Parkes supported federation. After this, the colonies could properly discuss national defence.

In 1890, a Colonial Defence Committee was formed. The colonies agreed to jointly pay for forts at King George's Sound and Thursday Island. Britain offered to provide the weapons for these forts. Queensland agreed to pay for the building work first. Then, it would get money back from the other colonies.

Building and Using the Fort

Work on Green Hill Fort began in August 1891. Major Edward Druitt was in charge of the building. He also helped build other forts in Queensland. By January 1893, many buildings were finished, including barracks and water tanks. The guns arrived from England by May 1893. In June 1893, soldiers arrived to guard the fort.

From the start, Green Hill Fort was meant to protect the coaling station at Port Kennedy. It was not designed to defend the entire Torres Strait. It was more for "bluffing" enemies than for strong defence. New military technology, like longer-range weapons, quickly made the fort less effective for anything but protecting the coaling station.

To improve the strait's defence, a new gun was added on Milman Hill in 1897. More soldiers were sent, and local volunteers joined. After Australia became a federation on 1 January 1901, Green Hill Fort was given to the Australian Government. More improvements were made in 1912, including a new underground powder magazine.

The Fort in World Wars

Thursday Island was on high alert when World War I started. But after 1915, the German threat in the Indian and Pacific Oceans lessened. The soldiers from Thursday Island were sent to fight elsewhere. Green Hill Fort was used for training soldiers until 1918.

Most of the soldiers were removed in 1926. This was because Australia's northern defence focus moved to Port Darwin. In 1932, the defences on Thursday Island were taken apart. The remaining fort structures were neglected until World War II began.

From 1942 to 1945, Thursday Island was a headquarters for Allied military operations in the Torres Strait. People living there were moved away. Green Hill Fort was used as a signals and wireless station. It also stored ammunition for Australian and American forces. Several anti-aircraft guns were added to strengthen the fort.

After the Wars

Green Hill Fort has not been used for military purposes since World War II. In 1954, the Bureau of Meteorology set up a weather station inside the fort. It operated until 1993, helping with national weather reports.

Money was given to fix and restore the fort. This included a grant for the Centenary of Federation. The restoration work was finished in April 2002.

Today, the Torres Strait Regional Authority owns Green Hill Fort. This group works for Indigenous Affairs. The Torres Strait Historical Society and Museum Association manages the site.

What Green Hill Fort Looks Like

Green Hill Fort is about 16 hectares in size. It is located on the western end of a high ridge on Thursday Island. The fort complex has three main parts. These are the fortifications, a forested area, and the old barracks site. You can get to the complex by road.

The Fortifications

The main part of the fort is on top of Green Hill. From here, you can see amazing views in many directions. You can see Thursday Island harbour, Horn Island, and other islands.

The main features of the fort include the earth walls and platforms where the guns were placed. There are three gun emplacements, which are spots where guns were set up. These spots have working platforms hidden behind protective walls. There are also three large six-inch guns. Tunnels and tracks were used to move ammunition to the guns.

Underground, there are magazines and storage rooms. These include places to store cordite (a type of gunpowder), shells, and other supplies.

A weather station was built here in the 1950s. It had small timber buildings. The main office was removed in 1999. A road leads to the fort, and the hill drops steeply on three sides.

The Forested Area

There is a dense forest area on the ridge. It has a mix of native trees and other plants. This shows the long history of people living on the island.

A small cleared area in the forest might have been used by the Kaurareg people. It might also have been used for Chinese market gardening in the late 1800s. There is also an old quarry site here.

The Barracks Site

The barracks were where the soldiers lived. Today, you can still see parts of the old water tanks, walls, and concrete drains. There are also some old fruit trees, like mango trees, that were planted a long time ago.

Condition of the Fort

The fort is still in good condition and mostly looks as it did. A project in 2002 helped restore the fort. They fixed the three large guns. They also opened up a blocked door to the artillery room and fixed drainage problems.

Some parts of the fort's walls were damaged by erosion. An old weather office building was removed because it blocked the view of the fort. Concrete slabs and other parts of the weather station were also removed. A new viewing area was built where the weather station used to be.

Power lines that spoiled the view were moved. The fort's internal power, water, and telephone lines were also upgraded. New doors, windows, and ventilation fans were added for visitors. Landfill and grass were used to help stop erosion.

Why Green Hill Fort is Special

Green Hill Fort was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 28 May 2008. It is special for several reasons:

Its Role in History

Green Hill Fort is important in Australian military history. It shows how Australia began to take responsibility for its own defence. The fort's gun emplacements and other structures are a good example of 19th-century military forts. These forts were built when the Australian colonies were starting to manage their own defence. The fort has not changed much, so you can still see the work of important people like Jervois, Scratchley, and Druitt.

A Rare Example of Cooperation

Green Hill Fort is special because it's one of the few times the Australian colonies worked together to pay for defence. Many forts were built in Australia in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But Green Hill Fort is one of only two where all colonies agreed to pay. The near-war between Britain and Russia in 1885 made the colonies work together. This was an important and rare example of cooperation before Australia became a country.

Typical 19th Century Fort Features

Green Hill Fort shows the typical features of British forts built in colonies during the late 1800s. Unlike other forts, Green Hill Fort has not been changed much over time. This means it still has many original 19th-century features. These include the earth walls and platforms for guns. It also has external gun emplacements, hidden working platforms, observation bunkers, and tunnels for moving ammunition. Green Hill Fort is a great example of Australian defence forts from the 1800s.

Important People Connected to the Fort

Green Hill Fort is also important because of its links to Colonel Sir W F D Jervois and Lieutenant-Colonel Peter H Scratchley. Their reports helped shape Australia's defence plans from the late 1800s. Major Druitt, who was in charge of building the fort, is also an important figure connected to the site.