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You are here: Home / Naval Heritage Sites / Spectacle Island Explosives Complex NSW / 1788 – 1889

Spectacle Island Explosives Complex NSW1788 – 1889

· Feb 7, 2018 ·

A survey by CAPT Hunter, LT Bradely & James Kelty on 4th Feb 1788, named a small island south of Cockatoo Island as Dawes Island.  The first reference to spectacles occurred in 1843 when Prout referred to ‘two small scrubby Islands joined by a sand spit, resembling spectacles.

Farm Cove, Port Jackson 1788

CAPT Merideth, Royal Marines met natives who throw spear at him on 20 March 1788.  Governor Phillip later ordered LT Dawes to shoot the now hostile natives as punishment.  He refused and was sent back to England on the next ship.

Royal Marines met by Spear Throwing Natives

When settlers travelling by boat from Parramatta to Sydney ran into adverse tides or weather, they would stop over on Spectacle Island.  This was considered safer than the Parramatta River bank due to now hostile natives ashore.  Potable water was also available.

Government House Parramatta

In 1836 Goat Island was formally established by Governor Bourke for regulating the keeping and carriage of gun powder in the Colony.  Earlier storage was in hulks in Rose Bay and later at Bantry Bay.

British Coat of Arms used in the Colony

By 1848 Goat Island was nearing capacity and Colonial Secretary Edward Thompson suggested ordinance should be removed to Spectacle Island “.  The situation was exacerbated due to large stocks of merchant’s powder” entering the colony as a result of later gold rushes.

Construction of 3 buildings on the Island commenced in 1865 using sandstone acquired during the construction of Fitzroy Dock on nearby Cockatoo Island.

Magazine
Copperage
Barracks

The Barracks Building (Bld 3) was one of three built in 1865 as part of the original magazine complex.  Later an addition was added on the western end.  However, it became derelict with massive termite damage until repaired in the mid-1990s.  The Naval Cadet unit TS Sydney located on the Island now use it as its main office.  The Barracks building is now used by the Naval Heritage Collection as its administration office.

Spectacle Island Buildings Circa 1870: L to R Magazine, Cooperage Barracks, Residence

The Magazine (Bld 9) stored all the gunpowder that the Colonial Government moved from the its magazine on Goat Island.  Its height was later extended to increase capacity when it became a Royal Navy Magazine.

Magazine, Building 9 Spectacle Island

The Cooperage Building was originally used to manufacture and repair wooden barrels to store gunpowder.  A Blacksmiths shop and forge was located nearby.  However, the wisdom of having a forge located so near to the Magazine became apparent and it was later moved to a new location on the far southern end of the main Island.

Cooperage Building 8: used from 1942 as an unserviceable cartridge case store; then a laundry and precision instruments store.
Baracks Building 3,1863-65 built as guard room and barracks; then used for stores; 1898 turned into offices; now Director’s office, conference room and general office

This Map of 1881, shows the layout of the original Magazine buildings.  Note the two dual resident buildings on the south eastern end of the main island.  The only part of these residences still remaining is Building 40, a dual toilet outhouse.

1881 Map of Spectacle Island showing layout of major buildings and first rail track

In 1882 HMS Nelson, flagship of the Australia Station Squadron requested storage for its increase volume of “warlike stores” and Commodore Loring suggests Spectacle Isand.  In 884 control of Spectacle Island was handed over to the Royal Navy.  Civilian explosives were moved back to Goat Island.

This RN Magazine badge came into use when the Royal Navy’s Australia Squadron took control of the Island.
Official badge used after Royal Australian Navy took over and placed Spectacle Island under the control of Newington Armaments Depot (RANAD).

Primary Sidebar

Spectacle Island Explosives Complex

  • 1889 – 1913
  • 1913 – 1995
  • 1995 – Present
  • 1788 – 1889

Additional reading for Spectacle Island

  • Occasional Paper 142: Spectacle Island - Historical Viewpoints
  • James Gorman VC
  • Occasional Paper 85: A Curious Spectacle
  • The Spectacle Island Railway
  • RAN Heritage Management: The Long Memory
  • Spectacle Island Command 1894 - 1900

 

World & National Heritage Sites

  • Cockatoo Island
  • HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites
  • HMVS Cerberus

Commonwealth Heritage Sites

  • Chowder Bay Naval Facilities
  • Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT
  • Royal Australian Naval College ACT
  • Garden Island WA
  • Naval Offices QLD
  • HMAS Cerberus
  • Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications
  • Beecroft Peninsula NSW
  • Spectacle Island Explosives Complex NSW
  • HMAS Penguin
  • HMAS Watson

The NHSA acknowledges support provided by the Australian Department of Environment and Energy which made these pages possible.
Greater detail on building history, the natural and Indigenous significance to these sites is available by accessing the National Heritage List.

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