South-West Pacific Area (SWPA) Advanced Land Headquarters

University of Queensland Forgan Smith Building

The University of Queensland was awaiting the construction of its new St Lucia campus when World War Two began. By 1942, the Main and Chemistry Buildings were near completion when the entire site was requisitioned by the Australian Army. From 1 August 1942 to 31 December 1944, the campus was the site of the Advanced Land Headquarters (Adv LHQ) of the South-West Pacific Area theatre of war. General (later Field Marshall Sir) Thomas Blamey who commanded all Allied land forces in the SWPA had followed the theatre commander US General Douglas MacArthur to Brisbane after the SWPA headquarters shifted from Melbourne. The planning of the successful 1942-44 Allied campaigns in Papua and in New Guinea was conducted at the St Lucia site.

Place information

Location

Sir Fred Schonnell Drive

St Lucia, QLD 4067

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Place type

Headquarters

History

On April 1942, the Joint Chiefs of Staff created the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) led by General Douglas MacArthur. SWPA encompassed Australia and MacArthur appointed Australia’s General Thomas Blamey to be Allied Land Forces commander. MacArthur shifted his General Headquarters (GHQ) from Melbourne to Brisbane on 20 July. On 1 August, Blamey established his Advanced Land Headquarters (Adv LHQ) in the two unfinished buildings of the new University of Queensland site at St Lucia.

Blamey did not spend extended periods of time at St Lucia. The demands of his command saw him constantly on the move around Australia and overseas....

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