Illowra Battery is a former Australian Army coastal-artillery battery located at Hill 60 , Port Kembla, New South Wales in Australia , built and in service during World War II . It was also otherwise known as Hill 60 Battery .
5-402: Two large naval-gun emplacements were constructed, both housing British BL 6-inch Mk. XI guns and complete with their protective gun-shields formerly held in storage from the decommissioned World War I-era Australian Navy cruisers HMAS Brisbane , Sydney and HMAS Melbourne . Two large tunnels were built to support the gun-battery and are steep in its descent underground and is fitted with
10-433: A small-gauge tram/trolleyway used for hauling the guns' shells to their breeches located at the two coastal-gun emplacements above. Aside from the two tunnels, a concrete bunker was also built and is connected to the tunnel system. Illowra Battery was abandoned shortly after the end of World War II in 1945. A mushroom farm was established in its main bunker complex due to the cool temperature and adequate humidity within for
15-576: A steady platform. Britain reverted to 45-calibres guns in new warships from 1914 onwards with the BL 6-inch Mk XII gun. Of the 177 produced 126 remained for Royal Navy use in 1939. Guns were mounted in the following ships : The Mk XI gun was emplaced for coast defence in South Africa and particularly in Australia leading up to World War II, and remained in service until the 1950s. Guns in Australia came from
20-414: The growing of such edible fungi. Today, the site remains popular with local visitors as well as urban explorers , who have added much colourful and diverse graffiti to the old battery's walls and remnants. 34°29′29.43″S 150°54′58.30″E / 34.4915083°S 150.9161944°E / -34.4915083; 150.9161944 BL 6 inch Mk XI naval gun The BL 6-inch Mark XI naval gun
25-460: Was a British 50 calibres high-velocity naval gun which was mounted as primary armament on cruisers and secondary armament on pre-dreadnought battleships from 1906 onwards. The gun with its increased length of 50 calibres gave improved firepower over the current 6-inch Mk VII gun of 45 calibres. However, its increased length and weight made it unwieldy in the current manually operated shipboard mountings on light cruisers, which did not provide
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