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Longland’s Gap Jungle Warfare Training Area
Longland’s Pocket Jungle Training Area
On arrival home from the Middle East and North Africa the volunteer troops of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) who were skilled in desert warfare, had to adapt to the new challenges of jungle fighting in tropical conditions similar to those found in New Guinea and the Pacific islands.
This hilltop area of Longland Pocket State Forest was used in training during long route marches and jungle warfare exercises. It contains a system of foxholes with inter-connecting trenches.
During World War II this area of rainforest was situated between large military encampments at Wondecla, Ravenshoe, Wongabel and Kairi that were occupied at various times by units of the 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions, AIF.
Today the area is on a recent transmission tower access track about 500 metres east of the Kennedy Highway and is hidden in a remnant patch of rainforest south of Mount Hypipamee National Park.
Place information
Location
Place type
Training facility
History
Before the Atherton Tableland was developed as a military region, the Mount Spec district north of Townsville served as a useful jungle training area in north Queensland. Troops from the south as well as the first units of the Second AIF and their commanders, fresh from the Middle East were able to acclimatize and become used to combat in the close confines of the rainforest.
Units of the Australian 6th and 7th Divisions began arriving on the Tableland in January 1943 and started occupying tent encampments around the settlements of Wongabel, Wondecla and Ravenshoe. The 9th Division returned to Australia from...
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