Fact or Fiction Brisbane Line and Captain Thunderbolt

I feel the same way Footy, but in one article I was reading there is a tour that indicates the tour of the Brisbane line. Which includes the Z force base on Fraser Is, Maheno wreck on Fraser and a Commando base at Amberley (think the air base).

I sure hoping that the wreck was just an inclusion while on Fraser and not in anyway trying to say it was part of the Brisbane Line anyway I lost interest when reading the wreck was included. Mind you was not aware of the Z force base on Fraser Is so that would be interesting to check out :)

In think the sign at the tank traps indicated it was a 2nd line of defence and some 10000 solders were stationed in the Tenterfield area. So I'm guessing there must be other things like tank traps around ie bunkers,

Mind you I cannot find where the Brisbane Line starts and finishes, but still fun looking :)

Brian

I just had another look at the tour and the wreck was just an inclusion.

Brian

The Brisbane Line is part of a small in house family argument here :))
My wife (who wasn't even born then) has never forgiven Churchill for abandoning Australia and trying to keep the 8th Division in Europe. We can laugh about it now, but it was a family thing. Her uncle was bombed at Darwin so perhaps that's where it started.
I seem to remember that there were actually several Brisbane Lines, one behind the other. Not sure of the details but yes, thousands of troops around Tenterfield.
I guess the War was a fairly fluid thing, and we'd have to ask about time frames, as this would be the key.
I was surprised to learn of around 10 000 American servicemen on the Cape during the War. I knew of some airfields etc but that's a lot of men. Obviously as the tide of war changed, more facilities and men moved north.
There seems to have been camps of several thousand men in all sorts of places, including of course at the racetrack in Brizziy.
What a different world it is these days, thank goodness.
I wonder if in the future we'll only see petrol pumps in museums ?

Footy
I guess you know that around Mareeba was a major staging area and airforce base. Just sth of Mareeba is a site of a 'canvas' hospital with beds for thousands??
There is an excellent military museum there- supposedly the biggest private collection in the world !!

There is also Fort Lytton, towards the mouth of the Brisbane River.

There was an American encampment at what is now Inala, called Camp Freeman, medium bombers and fighters were stationed at Archerfield, there was an ammunition factory at Rocklea, heavy artillery based on Mt. Coot-tha, and another large military encampment at Bald Hills.

There was a dig carried out in the old Archerfield quarry in 1992, and a lot of WW2 weapons and equipment recovered. There were Thompson SMG's, Browning 50cal and 30cal machineguns and 20mm Hispano cannon. These plus the associated aircraft spares were dumped in the quarry when the aircraft were decommissioned at the end of WW2.

There was an ammunition dump just outside Helidon, which was a major replenishment facility for the whole of SWPA of operations during WW2.

In North Qld, pretty much from Mackay north was a huge military camp, with Townsville being probably the largest. Dalrymple Rd in Townsville was one of the runways for the airbase, and WW2 observation posts and fortified installations can still be seen.
The Atherton Tablelands was home to thousands of troops, and was used as a staging area for operations in New Guinea and the Middle East. Live ammunition is still being found in the area.

Rocky Creek is the site of the military hospital, there is now a memorial on the site, and some old buildings still remain. On the road from Atherton to Ravenshoe, signs have been erected to show where particular units were camped, and there are stone bakery ovens scattered throughout the scrub.

Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns was part of a refuelling depot for naval warships during WW2, and was in use until approx 1985.

There is the remains of a WW2 Radar installation just outside Mt. Surprise, and still can be viewed by visitors, but it is on private land, and permission should be sought before entering the property.

Bamaga Airport was known as "Jackey-Jackey" Airfield during WW2, and there are the remains of two aircraft that crashed nearby. The airstrip was equipped with demolition tunnels under the main runway and local defense trenches and machinegun posts. I don't know if these structures still remain, as access is restricted.

There is a book available from the Nth Qld Miner's den titled North Queensland 1942-1945 which is well worth a read as it details who was where.

I now have writers cramp........

Thanks for that

Brian

It is on the northern end of Bridie Island. You can get there by driving the 20 or so K's up the beach. The place is slowly being claimed by sand.

A couple of photos on their way to your mail box

cheers
JM

Thought the Brisbane line was roughly Brisbane to Perth?

Oldplodder,

I have been reading a few things on the Brisbane line and it would seem the finish is somewhat varied lol.

one is North of Brisbane to Adelaide
2nd Brisbane to Melbourne
lastest is Brisbane a line spliting the country in half to the west coast. As you say Perth.

Brian

Thanks for that have read the first one will read the 2nd when I get a chance.

Brian

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brisbane_Line

PeterD

LOL, what a few words will do, yes it was a bit of adventure and I found a couple of tracks and found even more tracks so only one thing I can do, go back :).

I hope to head back that way in the next couple of weeks feel I would have earned it with what I done on the house.

When I am back down I will call in for that cuppa thanks.

Have a nice trip as well :)

Brian

Thanks Peter what a great site.

Brian