National Artillery Museum to close

[Jeff]

I went to the National Artillery Museum at North Head on Sunday, to view a memorial paver that some mates and I had ordered for a mate who passed away recently.

While I was there the staff told me that they were closing on the 19th of December for good. Apparently the land was handed over to the Harbour Trust and they are demanding around a million dollars per year as well as 24/7 access to the land. These demands the museum cannot meet so they are closing. All the stuff will go into storage and who knows what will happen to the land, with the historic gun emplacements and tunnels, probably town houses.

I took my son for a look through the museum and did the tunnel tour as he had not seen them before and we may not get the chance to again.

The link shows my local paper's story, it's a little different to what I was told but close, the Puckapunyal is not a definate, just a possible venue in the long off future.

Lest we forget ... but they did: artillery museum moves to Vic - Local News - News - The Manly Daily

The official site:

http://www.northfort.org.au/

Jeff

[Lotz-A-Landies]

We had a talk from the head of the Army History Unit on Saturday just gone, and while the North Fort Museum will cease to be as it is now there will be an ongoing National Artillery Museum and also a collection at North Head. This is going to be an interesting time to see what finally eventuates. The fixed pieces that relate to the physical site and the defence of Sydney will become the property of the Sydney Harbour National Park and be open to the public.

The actual Artillery Museum which is a part of the Army History Unit will be transferred to new premises at the School of Artillery at Puckapunyal, however the collection will be stored at Bandiana until the new facilities are built/renovated or whatever.

The sad thing is that Sydneysiders will lose direct access to the Artillery Museum, however this is the only Army History Unit not currently attached to it's respective School. The School of Artillery having moved to Puckapunyal some 12 years ago.

What Sydney Harbour Trust will also lose are the dollars that the Department of Defence spent on maintaining the grounds of North Fort, however the DoD could not justify the millions of dollars annually it would have to pay the SHT for the lease, and the expenses to maintain as well as secure the space occupied by the current museum, particularly when the artillery students currently in the School, lacked access to their own museum.

I feel most sorry for the volunteers who have spent thousands of hours collecting, restoring and maintaining the museum pieces. Some of them have indicated an interest to join us at the SME Museum.

Diana

[Tikirocker]

I grew up in the Manly area and spent a great deal of my youth playing around North Head, Crater Cove and Castle Rock et al ... I am VERY annoyed that this has come to pass and I will not be able to share this great history with my own children!

Worse still ... my vested interest is further thwarted since my Great Grandfather served at Gallipoli and in the Somme with the Australian 1st Field Arty Bgd - 1st Bty - to see the history of our Artillery being tossed for the sake of the almighty $$$ is heinous!

Simon.

[Dazza67]

Bugga, I spent many months doing IET's a SofA, it will be sadly missed.

Many a cold night in winter on guard duty as well.

Dazza

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I'm not suggesting it is correct, but it seems the DoD believes that they are not in the business of providing public tourist attractions. The bean counters in Defence have decided the only reason that they maintain museums is to give current soldiers exposure to the technology of the past and to maintain some esprit d' corps. In this case the museum needs to be with it's school.

Such is this country's belief in maintaining it's history for future generations.