WRIGHTS HILL FORTRESS

- ARTICLE -

© Darcy Waters 1999

        In 1935 the top of Wrights Hill in Karori, Wellington was chosen as a site for a 9.2" coastal defence battery.  Although it was not as large as some overseas fortresses such as that on the Rock of Gibraltar, it was fairly extensive with 2,030 feet of tunnels linking magazines, gun pits, engine room, plotting rooms and more.(For a complete list see the Site Layout)

         In March 1942 the authority was given to construct the battery.  Engineering reports and cost estimates were submitted to Army HQ in July and  preliminary site work including roads was started in October. Downer and Company of Wellington got the contract for the underground work and started in November with the driving of the tunnels were completed late 1943.  On the 13th of April 1943 Downer and Company were  awarded the contract to do the concrete work for the pump chambers and gun pits.  The gun pits were completed in December 1943.

         The first gun was installed during June 1944, with the 2nd gun shortly thereafter.  Due to the improved situation in the Pacific theatre of the war the third gun was cancelled despite the gun pit and underground works for it having being constructed.  The only time the guns were fired was when they proofed them to ensure that they worked properly  The proofing consisted of 3 shots fired - each shot at a different elevation and bearing. The No.1 gun was proofed on the 28th of June 1946 and the No.2 gun was proofed on the 26th of March 1947.   The only damage caused by the proofing was some broken windows at the fortress and in the suburb of Karori below.

         About 1950 the Fortress Battery was put into care and maintenance with crews from Fort Dorset visiting weekly or biweekly to service and maintain the guns and equipment.  In August 1957 the Army decided to decommission many of the coastal defence installations including the Wrights Hill Fortress Battery.

         During the summer of 1960/61 the guns were cut up for scrap and the Battery was stripped of nearly all of its equipment.  The scrap dealer was from Sydney, Australia and they were also responsible for the scrapping of guns at Palmer Heads and  Fort Dorset as well as those emplaced in Auckland and Christchurch.  Ironically the scrap metal salvaged from the batteries was sold to the Japanese.
 The Post Office took over parts of the former defence occupied area and used it as a receiving station.  The Post Office was later split up into Telecom and N.Z. Post.  Telecom still has a small presence on Wrights Hill.  

ANZAC day 1999 (April 25) was the 10th Anniversary of the Fortress being open to the public. On the same day the Fortress had it's 100,000th visitor pass through it's portals.

    During a ceremony on Monday the 13th August 2001 at Parliament the Wrights Hill fortress Restoration Society was presented a group award by Conservation Minister Sandra Lee at the Conservation Awards 2001 held at Parliament.

         The fortress is located in a Wellington City Council owned reserve which has panoramic views of the city below.  The above ground works are readily accessible to the general public.  However the underground part of the fortress is only accessible during open days (Waitangi Day - February 6th, ANZAC Day - April 25th, Queens Birthday - June and Labour Day - October (which are public holidays in New Zealand) or by arrangement. The money collected from admission fees covers material costs for the ongoing restoration work which is being done largely by a small group of volunteers within the Society.
  All enquiries regarding the Society or the Fortress
please write to
PO. Box 17-248 Karori,
Wellington,
New Zealand

    Bibliography

      * Official War History of the Public Work Department.
                   - F. G. Gratton
      * Wrights Hill Fortress  Fortress Record Book.
                   -     AD88 item reference  4
                         National Archives, Wellington.
      * Leaflet and Tour Guide Notes,
                   - Wrights Hill Fortress Restoration Society Inc.

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