WW2 Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) Radar Building - Ash Island
Today we went to Ash Island, Newcastle with our walking group and this picture is of one of the two WW2 buildings housed there.
The 131 Radar Station RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force radar station formed at Richmond, New South Wales on 19 June 1942. After initial training the radar group was sent to Beverley Park, Kogarah on 14 August 1942, then Kyeemagh on 27 August 1942 and to its final posting at Ash Island, Newcastle from 7 September 1942.
The radar station on Ash Island monitored any enemy airborne threats during World War 2. It housed British mobile equipment and the most modern Canadian GCI set, which was well protected in two concrete reinforced igloo buildings. The 131 Radar Station RAAF was disbanded on 18 January 1946.
@steampowered@huvesaker@hermann@gamelee@wanabe@scarybird@888rachel Thanks all. I have got a day at home today and really must catch up on housework, hence the group reply.
I don't suppose this radar station was quite as busy as the ones in Darwin were during the war but I believe it served an important secondary roll in training radar operators and mechanics.
I think the concrete building also helped keep out the mozzies too ha ha because Ash Island is mozzie heaven at this time of year. Luckily I sprayed myself thoroughly with Aeroguard yesterday so should be safe from Ross River virus and Dengue fever!!
It's always nice to see how these historic buildings have been preserved. I like the POV here. Argh just read your comment above about the mozzies, I don't I will take a trip there as they love me.
@eyesmile I agree not really attractive but it was where we were yesterday. I could have taken a picture of hundreds of mozzies too ha ha.
Perhaps a more appealing photo would be in my Topics album the subject for that album this month is Port Stephens, which is where I live. http://365project.org/onewing/topics/2014-03-06
@onewing Oh Babs...I really like the capture of this structure and it is so interesting...just because it isn't attractive doesn't mean it isn't a great shot.
:-)
Great history, the context over-rides the aesthetics in my book. This is a very well-preserved wartime site, and one I'd never heard of. Thanks for posting this picture. I really enjoyed looking at the structures and reading about the history too.
@jaynspain@kathiecb@golftragic@sunraye@angelat I agree not the prettiest picture in the world, but as we were on Ash Island and there isn't much to photograph there, this was what we saw. Interesting history of the building though. I believe it was top secret in its day.
I don't suppose this radar station was quite as busy as the ones in Darwin were during the war but I believe it served an important secondary roll in training radar operators and mechanics.
I think the concrete building also helped keep out the mozzies too ha ha because Ash Island is mozzie heaven at this time of year. Luckily I sprayed myself thoroughly with Aeroguard yesterday so should be safe from Ross River virus and Dengue fever!!
Perhaps a more appealing photo would be in my Topics album the subject for that album this month is Port Stephens, which is where I live. http://365project.org/onewing/topics/2014-03-06
:-)