Defending Brisbane from flu and foe

May 17, 2020, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Fort Lytton National Park contains two adjacent independent heritage-listed precincts, the Military Precinct containing the fortress that defended Brisbane militarily from 1881 until after the Second World War, and the Quarantine Precinct which defended Brisbane from the introduction of diseases and pests from 1914 until 1987.

Visitors are able to park once and visit both precincts. All tours commence at the Fort Lytton Visitor Centre and will be conducted by volunteers from Fort Lytton Historical Association. There will be no charge for parking, admission or tours but a Gold Coin Donation will be appreciated.

Quarantine Station Tour
The Brisbane Quarantine Station was opened in 1914 and served Brisbane until closing in 1987.

The main buildings of the station have been well preserved so visitors will see them in their original colours and condition, at least externally. They will start their tours at the Fort Lytton Visitor Centre and will then follow the path that quarantined passengers would have followed, starting at the Reception Building (close to the jetty on the Brisbane River from which passengers were transferred) and progressing through the various stages of their quarantine stay. The giant autoclave and restored boiler house will appeal to the more mechanically - minded!

In the Disinfectant building the tour will be guided by a “Quarantine Officer” in the uniform of the times.
 
Displays of documents, records and memorabilia will be available for individual perusal at the Reception Centre. The tour will last about 45 minutes.


Only conducted tours will be available in the Quarantine Precinct (no self-guiding!).

Military Tours
The military tours cover the history of Fort Lytton from its opening in 1881 to its close after the Second World War. Visitors are taken around the fortifications including the Fort itself and some locations that are unavailable for self-guiding.  Visitors are then able to browse five museum buildings.

One of our museums contains our more-modern artillery complementing our more-historic artillery which is displayed throughout the site, including in the actual guns pits where the particular guns were used. There are over 30 artillery pieces on display in what is believed to be Australia’s most -comprehensive display of colonial and post-federation Australian artillery. Other museums cover other aspects of artillery such as ammunition, target identification, sights, calibration and mathematical computing devices.

Also open to visitors is a display of signals equipment, some of which was still in use when the army signal station on Signal Hill at Lytton closed in 1964 to make way for the (then) Ampol refinery to be built.

The museum operated by Queensland Military Historical Society museum is more broadly-based in its range and will present a different emphasis from the other four museums.

All tours will be conducted by experienced guides with vast knowledge of the Fort and its contents.