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Fort Lytton was built in 1880-1882 in response to a fear that a foreign colonial power might launch a naval attack on Brisbane or its port, both of which were located along the banks of the Brisbane River. The fort was designed by Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Scratchley. It was located at the mouth of the Brisbane River, and was designed to deny enemy vessels access to the river.

This was initially achieved by a remote-controlled minefield across the mouth of the river and four muzzle-loading heavy guns. The minefield was closed in 1908, but the guns continued in operation until 1938.

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Item ID 2692229

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The fort is a typical nineteenth-century garrison – a pentagonal fortress concealed behind grassy embankments – surrounded for greater protection by a water-filled moat. Approval for construction of the fort at Lytton was given by the Parliament of Queensland in 1878. A field force of field artillery, engineers and infantry were also established to defend against a land attack by enemy forces. The government did not favour cavalry, as mounted soldiers could be recruited from the police force in an emergency. A small marine defence force was also developed, consisting of the two gunboats Gayundah and Paluma, the torpedo boat Mosquito and a number of armed barges.

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Item ID 2692229

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Lytton is an outer riverside suburb of Brisbane, Queensland. A pilot station and a village were established at Lytton in 1859. It would be two years before a road was surveyed from Norman Creek. A telegraph line was run from Brisbane to Lytton in 1862. During the years 1876-1908 a local post office was open.

Due to Lytton’s location on the south-east bank of the Brisbane River at its seaward end Fort Lytton was built in 1881 to guard the mouth of the Brisbane River. The fort had a moat and was a pentagonal structure concealed behind an embankment. It was fortified with two six inch disappearing guns.

Description source:
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View the original record at the Queensland State Archives:
Item ID 2692229

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Fort Lytton is a heritage-listed 10th-century coastal fort in the suburb of Lytton in Brisbane, Queensland. The name “Fort Lytton” is also used to describe the one square mile military base that surrounded the fort. Fort Lytton was built in 1880-1882 and operated until 1965.

The fort consists of almost a hectare of buildings, gun pits, tunnels and other structures embedded in a pentagonal earth mound wall, surrounded by a water-filled moat.

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Item ID 2692229

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The Australian colonies were part of the British Empire, which had made many enemies by the nineteenth century when other colonial powers were rapidly expanding their empires. At the time the fort was built, Brisbane had fewer than 100,000 people, with an annual trade worth more than four million pounds.

Brisbane was more vulnerable to naval attack than Sydney or Melbourne as it was just three days’ sail from the French naval garrison at Noumea. Local defences were essential as Moreton Bay had numerous islands on which the enemy could establish a base.

Based on the recommendations of the illustrious British soldiers and military tacticians Colonel Sir William Jervois and Scratchely, Queensland opted to rely heavily on Fort Lytton as a fixed defence position for its capital and wealthiest port, Brisbane.

Description source:
Wikipedia

View the original record at the Queensland State Archives:
Item ID 2692229

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