Spectacle Island (Port Jackson) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spectacle IslandSydney, New South Wales |
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Spectacle Island (front) and Cockatoo Island (rear), Sydney Harbour
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 Spectacle Island
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | 11 km (7 mi) west of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
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Spectacle Island is a small island located in Sydney Harbour in Australia. It is found in the western part of the harbour, close to the suburb of Drummoyne.
This island is very important historically. It is the oldest place in Australia where naval explosives were made and stored. This started way back in 1865. The island was first used to keep government gunpowder safe. Later, in 1893, it became a storage area for naval weapons. It has special buildings, jetties (docks), and even its own small railway system for this purpose. The island has also grown bigger over time. This happened because waste material from the nearby Balmain Colliery (a coal mine) was used to expand it.
Today, Spectacle Island holds many important historical items from the Royal Australian Navy. It is also home to Training Ship Sydney, which is a group for young people called the Australian Navy Cadets.
Spectacle Island was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List in June 2004. This means it is a special place protected for its history.
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History of Spectacle Island
Spectacle Island is a small piece of land in Sydney Harbour. When British settlers first arrived in 1788, it was known as Dawes Island. Later, it was renamed Spectacle Island because of its unique shape. Back then, it looked like two small islands connected by a narrow strip of land.
Early Use and Development
In 1865, the government chose Spectacle Island to store its gunpowder. Plans for the first buildings were drawn up by the Colonial Architect, James Barnet. These buildings were mostly made of sandstone with slate roofs. Two houses for civilians were also built, which later became offices.
More buildings were added over time. The island's shape also began to change. The narrow strip of land connecting the two parts was gradually built up.
By 1884, Spectacle Island became a naval armament depot. This meant it was used to store weapons for the navy. The government's gunpowder was moved elsewhere. Existing buildings were changed, and new ones were built to fit the navy's needs. The new facilities were very modern for handling and storing weapons at that time.
The Royal Australian Navy took over Spectacle Island from the Royal Navy in 1913. By this time, there were 40 buildings on the island. The narrow strip of land had been completely filled in. The island's size had grown by about one hectare. This extra land came from waste material from the old Balmain coal mine.
World Wars and Changes
During the First World War, the island was very busy. Hundreds of extra workers were hired, mainly to fill shells with explosives. Older buildings were updated to meet the new demands of the war. After the war ended in 1918, Spectacle Island was used to store unused weapons. By 1922, all the main permanent buildings were finished.
Spectacle Island was important again during the Second World War. It handled smaller types of ammunition. However, it soon became too small for larger weapons. After this war, the island was again used to store unused munitions. Over time, the island's role changed. More people moved to areas around the harbour. Also, new technology made it unsafe and old-fashioned to handle and store explosives on the island.
Spectacle Island Today
Spectacle Island is still used by the Royal Australian Navy. It is home to the Naval Repository. This is a special collection of old items and artifacts. These items range from small objects to entire vessels (ships).
The island is also the base for Training Ship Sydney. This is a unit of the Australian Navy Cadets. Young people who join the cadets learn about naval traditions and skills here.
