
North Head Gun Emplacement
Access denied
About the building
During WWII, North Head was one of the most heavily fortified sites in Australia. Two heavy 9.2 inch calibre guns were positioned in Gun Emplacements 1 and 2 as part of North Head Battery. The guns were connected by underground tunnels and were prepared to fire on enemy ships or inland targets. Gun Emplacement 2 was the North, or No. 2 gun, of the Battery. This emplacement, just like its No. 1 counterpart, had a round concrete upper gun floor, with a central pit containing the pedestal for the mounting of the gun itself. Underneath the gun floor, the Shell Store was built to hold up to 250 TNT-filled shells – each weighing 172 kg.
These enormous guns had a firing range of more than 28 km at maximum charge (that’s the distance from Manly to Palm Beach), with a rate of fire of two rounds per minute. Primary targets were ships at sea, but secondary landward targets - such as road junctions, bridges and significant landing points - were also designated in the event of a successful enemy landing and subsequent overland attack.
Virtual tour experience
Tips to enjoy the tour:
- This is a 360 degree tour, click and drag to move around each slide
- Follow the arrows to move between locations
- Click the ‘I’ icon for historical information
The Harbour Trust is in the early stages of refreshing it’s approach at North Head Sanctuary. Join in the conversation simply by texting Hello Harbour Trust to 0480 018 889 or complete our survey. Next time you visit North Head Sanctuary, look out for the yellow signs and follow the instructions to strike up a conversation. The objects will tell you about their history, and ask you a few questions along the way.
-
St James Tunnels
Take a virtual tour of Australia’s first underground railway at St James and Museum, designed and opened by Bradfield in 1926.
-
Mortuary Station
Explore the only remaining example of a purpose-built Victorian funerary railway station in Australia, and possibly the world, in this virtual tour.
-
North Head Gun Emplacement
Discover the military history of North Fort, with a virtual tour of the No. 2 Gun Emplacement.
-
Tank Stream
Take a virtual tour of the Tank Stream, once a vital source of life for the First Fleeters, and before them, the First Australians.
-
Parramatta Archaeology
Explore some of the artefacts from the City of Parramatta's extensive archaeology collection discovered after over a dozen excavations under the CBD.