Bundock Street Bunker

Former quarry

Civil defence facility
Townsville

Bundock Street, Townsville 4810

The Bundock Street quarry was in the vicinity of Rowes Bay and was a high point overlooking the Bay. Rumors of a 'bunker' near this quarry may refer to this 1941 VDC emplacement. The former quarry is now the site of apartments.

History

On 29 December 1941, three weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, Australia prepared to defend itself. In Townsville, the 16th Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) prepared a document entitled, Suggested Plan for Beach Defence of Townsville. This secret document listed where counter attacks would originate if the Japanese were to land on Rowes Bay and The Strand. It is the earliest document discovered regarding Townsville’s Pacific War defence plans.

Among descriptions of where trenches, tank traps and fuel stores were located, it mentions of an 'emplacement' in the locality of Rowes Bay, to be built of stone from QUARRY and faced on inside and top with sandbags.

Source/comments

Volunteer Defence Corps - Defence roles (including reports) operational role and plan, appreciation of the situation, Charters Towers, Townsville, Mt Isa - 1941–1943. 54, 1008/2/48 VIC.

The North Queensland Line: The Defence of Townsville in 1942". Ray Holyoak unpublished Honours Thesis, James Cook University, Townsville 1998.