WERRIBEE WORLD WAR TWO ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN EMPLACMENT SITE
137BEACH ROAD WERRIBEE SOUTH, WYNDHAM CITY
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
Archaeologically the site is considered to be of low significance. The key features of the site are the two large concrete pads on which the static 3.7 inch guns were located. Using archaeological techniques, little more than exposing, recording and developing a photographic record of the site can be completed. This however will aid in interpretation of the site, and add to the abilitiy to tell the story of the site. The social and historic significance of the site are however considered to be of moderate local significance.
-
-
WERRIBEE WORLD WAR TWO ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN EMPLACMENT SITE - History
Newspaper articles dated between March 1940 and February 1943 indicate that the gun emplacements and the area around them were associated with the anti-aircraft training that was based at Werribee Racecourse during WW2.
It seems likely that these two emplacements were built mid-to-late in1941 for the testing and practice firing of the 3.7 inch AA guns that had been manufactured at Maribyrnong, and this event was widely published in local and national newspapers in November 1941. It also appears likely that they were rarely used (if at all) after August 1942. Apart from the confirmed use of the static mountings in November 1941, anti-aircraft practice on any subsequent occasion may have been carried out using mobile gun platforms and/or different guns that troops in the field were more likely to be using.
A review of historic documents indicates that there appears to be no reason to associate the two emplacements recently uncovered at Werribee South directly with the Point Cook Aerodrome or with the wartime Werribee Satellite Aerodrome. Point Cook Aerodrome had its own anti-aircraft gun emplacements, located, according to newspaper public notices "10 chains from the foreshore, 60 chains south-west of the most easterly tip of Point Cook"
WERRIBEE WORLD WAR TWO ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN EMPLACMENT SITE - Interpretation of Site
The site of the anti-aircraft gun emplacements at Werribee South is associated with the development of the anti aircraft training base - established at the Werribee Racecourse when this was taken over by the military in August 1940. The first use of the bay side static gun emplacements appears to have been using 3 inch AA guns on mobile carriages, based on news paper photographs from the event in December of 1940 and later in March 1941.
The Concrete pads at the site appear to be specifically associated with the 3.7 inch guns Later photos of exercises and training indicate mobile rather than the static guns in use.
Heritage Inventory Description
WERRIBEE WORLD WAR TWO ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN EMPLACMENT SITE - Heritage Inventory Description
The site is currently a small gravel carpark along the shoreline of the Port Phillip Bay.
-
-
-
-
-
NORTH MELBOURNE POTTERYVictorian Heritage Inventory
-
STONY CREEK SLIPWAYVictorian Heritage Inventory
-
SEASONING WORKS SITE AND TERRACOTTA LUMBERWALLVictorian Heritage Inventory
-
-