38 (386th) Australian Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) Battery

Victoria Park Golf Course

Primarily, it was Australian units with 24 Heavy AA guns, 12 Light AA guns and 33 searchlights that defended Brisbane. The Heavy AA guns were in fixed emplacements while the Light AA guns and searchlights were mobile and could be quickly relocated with the aid of army trucks. The three Heavy AA batteries were emplaced in six Brisbane suburbs. The two Light AA Regiments had single guns spread across Brisbane. The three Searchlight Companies occupied various positions in 18 different suburbs. The US Army also manned a small number of AA positions in Brisbane.

Place information

Location

Victoria Park Golf Course, Gilcrest Avenue

Herston, QLD 4006

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Place type

Fortifications

History

The outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941 led to a fear of air attack on Brisbane, most likely launched from Japanese aircraft carriers. The siting of the AA guns was designed to protect Brisbane’s port facilities and the US New Farm submarine base and to cover the Eagle Farm and Archerfield airfields. The anti-aircraft (AA) gun shortage in Australia caused delays so that Brisbane had still not received its full allotment of 3.7 inch AA guns by May 1942. The guns had to be brought by convoy from Britain. By 28 May, the first 16 guns were despatched...

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