Fort Cowan Cowan

Royal Australian Navy Station No.3

Moreton Island developed into the major component of the World War Two coastal defences of Brisbane. In 1939, the island had just the Cowan Battery, one of only two forts protecting Brisbane. During the war, the island was the Examination Battery and War Signal Station for the port of Brisbane. It was reinforced with a second battery of coastal guns, an army battalion and an armed RAN auxiliary warship. The island also utilised the services of the CCC, the VDC and three separate RAN Station units that controlled a variety of Moreton Bay defences, including minefields, submarine indicator loops and Asdic Detectors.

Place information

Location

25 Dorothy Newnham Street

Cowan Cowan, QLD 4025

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Place type

Fortifications

History

Moreton Island shields the northern entrance to Moreton Bay. Three major shipping channels that lead to the mouth of the Brisbane River and onto the port of Brisbane run past the island - North West Channel, North East Channel and South Passage.

In 1938, a battery of two 6-inch Mk II coastal guns mounted on PV1A carriages and supported by two 90 cm searchlights were emplaced on the Moreton Bay side of the island. The Cowan Battery was constructed with reinforced concrete. The ammunition magazines were built to the rear of each gun platform. Side blast walls and a concrete roof...

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