The land which ‘Portsea Camp’ now occupies was originally held by fisherman, John Watson, from the 1850’s to 1885 when it was compulsorily ‘acquired’ by the government to build ‘Fort Franklin’. Gun placements, barracks, parade ground, commandant’s house (previously the home of John Watson), and a timber staff cottage were built to defend against the perceived Russian invasion during the period 1885 to 1889 . . .
More than 40 years ago Portsea became a garrison town. Barracks and fort were built and guns now long obsolete and dismantled were its pride and joy. For many years a company of permanent soldiers consisting of about 80 men and officers was stationed there. They were called the Victorian Permanent Artillery. Many had served in British regiments and it was a great delight to us children to see them march to the pier headed by the band which was sometimes stationed at Portsea. They wore navy uniforms well tailored with white helmets and white gloves. Once a month they boarded the little Mars or Vulcan to attend a full dress parade at Queenscliff. For many years now the barracks and fort have been deserted and left in charge of one gunner . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Argus’ (Melbourne, Vic) – Article “More Portsea Memories” – by B H McKernan (Grandson of James Sandle Ford – founder of Portsea) – published 24th February 1934
The Watson family arrived in Australia from Scotland in 1856. They soon settled on a stunning rocky outcrop overlooking Port Phillip Bay – now known as ‘Point Franklin’. There, John Watson built a beautiful limestone home of six rooms as well as another small hut on the foreshore. The family lived and worked there until the land upon which they had settled became of interest to the governance. Their protestations were ignored. They were forced to vacate, being paid a sum of £1,500 for their home of some thirty years . . .
” . . . The Former Fort Franklin (Portsea Camp) consists of a series of gun emplacements, associated barracks and parade ground, commandant’s house and timber staff cottage as well as underground bunkers and observation posts dating from c 1940. Buildings associated with the later use of the site by the Lord Mayor’s Children’s Camp from 1946/47 to 1995 are also on the site.
The fort was operated by the Victorian colonial government until Federation when it was taken over by the Commonwealth. From 1946, the site was leased from the army and then the Department of the Interior before being purchased by the Lord Mayor’s Children’s Camp Fund in 1964. The children’s camp is now known as the Portsea Camp . . . “
” . . . The fort was constructed between 1885 and 1889 as part of the system of fortifications of Port Phillip Bay to protect Melbourne against invasion by Russian raiders. The outer defences in Port Phillip Bay consisted of forts at Queenscliff, and Point Nepean (Crow’s Nest, Nepean and Eagle’s Nest). A fort was required at Portsea to form part of the inner defences, together with South Channel Fort and Swan Island . . . “
Source: Excerpts – ‘Former Fort Franklin (Portsea Camp)’ – Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1090
” . . . When the defence of the Heads had been provided for by batteries at Queenscliff and Point Nepean, the question as to the means of protecting the inner channels arose, and military authorities were agreed that this could best be effected by submarine mine fields covered by batteries. Sir William Jervois recommended this course. Nothing was done at the time, but the ” Russian scare ” again drew public attention to the state of the defences. At this time Colonel Sargood (now Sir Frederick) was in office. A small fort was erected at Point Franklin, near Portsea, to cover the South Channel, and it was then proposed to erect two other forts, one on the shoal between the South Channel and Symond’s Channel and the other on the Pope’s shoal, opposite the neareat part of Swan Island . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘Argus’ (Melbourne, Vic) – Article “The Pope’s Eye Fort” – published 1st August 1890
” . . . In 1887 the armament at the Fort consisted of three 80-pound muzzle-loading guns, but it was by then decided to substitute three breech loading guns on the disappearing principle . . . “
Source: Excerpts – ‘Former Fort Franklin (Portsea Camp)’ – Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1090
The above extract of an article published in the ‘Weekly Times’ on the 19th March 1887 concluded with the paragraph:
” . . . The test had shown that we were capable of defending ourselves . . . “
To view the entire article – click here
It is interesting to read how real this exercise was reported to the public – perhaps it was aimed to prove to the readers that even more funds were required to increase the infrastructure of the military? Perhaps it is merely a coincidence that soon after this ‘exercise’, the guns at ‘Fort Franklin’ were upgraded, the ‘Pope’s Eye Fort’ was begun, ‘Eagles Nest‘ was built c 1889 – just to name a few of the military upgrades that subsequently occurred. If fact the entire western end of the Mornington Peninsula became a restricted military establishment – remaining so until 1988 . . .
” . . . In 1892, Fort Franklin contained two 5 inch 3 ton guns, one 10 inch 25 ton gun, one 4.724 inch Quick Firing gun for sea defence and one 5 barrel Nordenfeldt field gun in case of land attack. (Michael Kitson) The task of Fort Franklin was to guard the South Channel, preventing enemy shipping using the South Channel and to provide a site for examination anchorage, where suspicious’ ships were ordered to drop anchor and be searched while under the surveillance of gunners. The gun emplacements at Fort Franklin have been altered, for example the tunnels of the gun emplacement have been bricked up for safety reasons. Some of the joinery around the storage recesses and other details remain. Some evidence of original signage remains. The form of the three gun emplacements is intact and the mounds demonstrate the way the guns were mounted. The barracks building was probably constructed c 1885 . . . “
” . . . The barracks, house and staff cottage have lost some detailing and require refurbishment, but the essential form of the buildings and much of the internal arrangement and fabric survives. The staff cottage was on its present site by 1887 . . . “
” . . . A small hospital ward was built, probably at the time of the construction of the barracks and it is believed that five soldiers who had returned from the Boer War died there in August 1902. (Shire of Flinders Study, Moorhead p. 36) The hospital building of that period is no longer extant and may have been replaced by the present medical centre. Later military use during World War II necessitated the construction of underground bunkers and observation posts. The site was used as an ammunition dump by the United States Army during World War II. One of the bunkers is believed to be an underground munitions store. Another partly underground structure to the west of the site was an observation post. The forward searchlight emplacement on the cliff beyond the gun emplacement was also constructed for use during World War II. The camp was also used as a migrant camp for a short time in the immediate post-World War II period . . . “
” . . . The buildings which date from the Lord Mayor’s Children’s Camp include dormitories, staff quarters, and medical centre. In the 1970s the medical centre was a seven-bed hospital staffed by the Alfred Hospital. The original idea for the camp was to provide seaside holidays to underprivileged children from remote areas. The first groups of children came from the Mallee. Health checks and medical and dental treatment for the children were for many years an integral part of the camp, but this became less necessary in the 1960s when better health care became available . . . “
Source: Excerpts – ‘Former Fort Franklin (Portsea Camp)’ – Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1090
Today, the historic establishment is used as a holiday camp whose main focus is to provide holidays for those in the community who are disadvantaged or require special needs. Run as a charity, it is also open to families in general, thereby subsidising the camps for children in need.
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