Which World War II sites in Australia are worth visiting?

Much of Australia’s World War II was fought overseas, largely in the Pacific theatre. But there are still several World War II sites in Australia that show how the war came to home soil. These Australian Second World War sites include the WWII Oil Storage Tunnels in Darwin, Fort Scratchley in Newcastle and Point Nepean on the Mornington Peninsula.

Australian World War II sites: Darwin

The Darwin Military Museum at East Point should be a mandatory first stop for anyone wanting to discover wartime Darwin. A series of excellent displays charts the timeline of the Japanese bombings, and the museum has plenty of military regalia. Even those not overly thrilled by battle minutae and medals can gawp at big tanks and guns. The Defence of Darwin Experience adds an interactive element.

The site, too, is an important one. The Darwin Military Museum inhabits the bunker where the Top End defence strategy was planned.

After visiting the museum, head to the WWII Oil Storage Tunnels in the Northern Territory capital’s Wharf Precinct. Dug under the city during the war, these tunnels protected Darwin’s oil supply from the Japanese raids. Tours tell the story of the tunnels’ construction. You can also try a more high-tech WWII experience at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Darwin Tourist Facility.

Australian Second World War sites: Newcastle

The New South Wales city of Newcastle, a 170km drive from Sydney, was also under fire during the Second World War. A Japanese submarine made it far enough down the East Coast to launch a raid on the dockyards and the city. Damage was minimal and no-one was hurt – but suspicions were confirmed that Newcastle was a prime target. This was largely due to its coal and shipping industries.

The troops at Fort Scratchley – Newcastle’s Coastal Defence HQ – returned fire on the sub. Following renovations, Fort Scratchley has opened to the public. It now contains World War II memorabilia as well as information on the fort’s many former uses.

Near Newcastle is Stockton Bight in Port Stephens. The long beach was a perfect landing spot for a Japanese invasion, and thus heavily fortified. That meant laying tank traps along the beach. It’s still possible to find concrete blocks and barbed wire at Anna Bay and Stockton.

World War II sites in Australia: Christmas Island

Christmas Island wasn’t actually part of Australia at the time of the Second World War. The Brits were in command, and the island only passed into Australian hands in 1958. But Christmas Island was the only piece of current Australian territory occupied by the Japanese in World War II. Of the resident Christmas Island population, half were sent to prison camps in Indonesia. The remaining islanders, though, sabotaged ships and conspired against the occupying Japanese forces. The aim was to stop the Japanese benefiting from the island’s phosphate mines.

Christmas Island is now more famous as a wildlife haven. The annual red crab migration is world famous. Diving, fishing and bird-watching adventures are on the menu, too.

Christmas Island is a tiny dot in the Indian Ocean, considerably closer to Java than Australia. Regular passenger flights to this little-known Australian territory depart from Perth, however.

Australian World War II sites: Point Nepean

At the tip of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Point Nepean has long been military land. The public has only been allowed in to enjoy it in recent years. Much of the Fort Nepean military hardware remains in place. These include gun placements, tunnel networks, bomb-proof rooms and hidey holes for those on guard duty. For good reason, Point Nepean was once known as Australia’s Gibraltar. Visit on a day trip from Melbourne, and the tours around it are fascinating.

File this nugget of trivia under ‘disputed facts’: the first Allied shot of World War II was supposedly fired from Point Nepean. An Australian ship, the SS Woniora, attempted to enter Port Philip Bay in September 1939. The ship’s crew didn’t, however, realise that strict inspection rules had been put in place. Mercifully for those on board the Woniora, it was just a warning shot from Fort Nepean.

World War II in Australia: Rottnest Island

Perth’s favourite getaway spot also brims with wartime history. During the Second World War, public access to Rottnest Island was prohibited – the military took it over. Parts of the old Aboriginal prison were used to intern Italian nationals (and some Australian nationals with an Italian background).

Aside from being an internment camp, Rottnest Island was an important strategic point.

Popping a gun at the top of Oliver Hill was a vital component in Perth and Fremantle’s coastal defence. The powers-that-be placed an enormous 9.2 inch gun at the Oliver Hill Battery. It acted as a suitable deterrent to any enemy ships thinking of raiding the Western Australian capital.

The gun was never fired, but it is the only such gun still standing in Australia. Short tours of the battery are available for those with a special interest. Others can just nip inside the gun house on Australia’s world famous quokka island for a quick photo.

See also: The Australian War Memorial

Australia’s best war-related attraction, however, is the truly moving Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The exhibitions and collections cover all wars that Australia has been involved in. Naturally the Second World War features fairly heavily. There are thousands of artefacts, ranging from weapons to letters sent home from the frontline. The 3D dioramas of battle scenes are particularly superb.

But the sombre highlight comes at the end of the day, when a lone piper or bugler plays by the eternal flame in memory of those who lost their lives serving their country.

The Australian War Memorial also covers World War I in depth. You can also explore the First World War at the National ANZAC Centre in Albany, one of Australia’s most important historic sites.