The Brisbane Line

[Nightjar]

We have all no doubt heard about the Brisbane Line, however how much of Australia was going to be defended if the Japanese invaded Australia during WW2?
Couldn't find any clear map on Google showing the line.

Found some notes (recorded after a discussion) from the early 80's while occupying my time cleaning up my computer room.

In the 80's was having a beer or three in the Yalgoo pub and struck up a conversation with old prospector.
During the course of the conversation he told me that during WW2 he was a army truck driver with home defence.
He went onto explain that when Japan entered the war and eventually occupied the Philippines and were pushing south, Australia & Britain formed the Brisbane Line, which in effect would virtually surrender WA, NT FNQ?
This old timer claimed he along with many other drivers hauled tons of munitions, which were buried at secret location along this line.
He claimed these depots are probably still buried out there in no mans land?
Were the munitions secretly stored and were they ever retrieved?
Can anyone verify this claim if it was true or beer talk?

 

[RM Outback]

Interesting and no I hadn't heard of the Brisbane Line until now.

 

[silver]

No comment.

 

[Rockhunter62]

I did take some photos of the old tank obstacles at Paddies Flat above Drake in Northern NSW which were part of the Brisbane Line believe it or not. Can't find the photos now.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Guest]

I've heard of the line but was unaware of ammo being buried.
I've heard of secret air fields with buried stuff,jeeps ,motorbikes and spares,but know little of them
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/bombers-hidden-in-the-desert-ng-ya-343363

 

[grubstake]

According to Wikipedia, the Brisbane Line story originated from a minister in Curtin's cabinet who said he'd been told about it by a Major in the office of the Secretary for Defense, however a subsequent Royal Commission couldn't substantiate the claims:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Line

Any involvement of the British seems questionable to me, as my understanding of that period of the war is that both Australia and New Zealand were already heavily-committed to supporting the British campaigns in North Africa. The new reality of a seemingly-unstoppable Japanese advance in the immediate neighbourhood of the Western Pacific greatly alarmed both governments, leading to calls for American support as they began to raise more forces to effectively fight in this new battlefront.

 

[casper]

We have all no doubt heard about the Brisbane Line, however how much of Australia was going to be defended if the Japanese invaded Australia during WW2?
Couldn't find any clear map on Google showing the line.

Found some notes (recorded after a discussion) from the early 80's while occupying my time cleaning up my computer room.

In the 80's was having a beer or three in the Yalgoo pub and struck up a conversation with old prospector.
During the course of the conversation he told me that during WW2 he was a army truck driver with home defence.
He went onto explain that when Japan entered the war and eventually occupied the Philippines and were pushing south, Australia & Britain formed the Brisbane Line, which in effect would virtually surrender WA, NT FNQ?
This old timer claimed he along with many other drivers hauled tons of munitions, which were buried at secret location along this line.
He claimed these depots are probably still buried out there in no mans land?
Were the munitions secretly stored and were they ever retrieved?
Can anyone verify this claim if it was true or beer talk?

....the following link is an interesting read....... https://www.ozatwar.com/ozatwar/brisbaneline.htm

 

[Ridge Runner]

We have all no doubt heard about the Brisbane Line, however how much of Australia was going to be defended if the Japanese invaded Australia during WW2?
Couldn't find any clear map on Google showing the line.

Found some notes (recorded after a discussion) from the early 80's while occupying my time cleaning up my computer room.

In the 80's was having a beer or three in the Yalgoo pub and struck up a conversation with old prospector.
During the course of the conversation he told me that during WW2 he was a army truck driver with home defence.
He went onto explain that when Japan entered the war and eventually occupied the Philippines and were pushing south, Australia & Britain formed the Brisbane Line, which in effect would virtually surrender WA, NT FNQ?
This old timer claimed he along with many other drivers hauled tons of munitions, which were buried at secret location along this line.
He claimed these depots are probably still buried out there in no mans land?
Were the munitions secretly stored and were they ever retrieved?
Can anyone verify this claim if it was true or beer talk?

My Family came from north of Mackay and my cousin told me that they buried WWII Jeeps and stuff in creates just north of Mackay So that would be a good starting point, :Y:

 

[Rockhunter62]

I did take some photos of the old tank obstacles at Paddies Flat above Drake in Northern NSW which were part of the Brisbane Line believe it or not. Can't find the photos now.

Cheers

Doug

Found it, just excuse Larry, he wanted to be in all the photos after we rescued him from the Western Plains Zoo.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Nanjim]

Nightjar ,
A couple of screenshots from google...

 

[Nanjim]

Bugger the 2nd one didnt work
I will try again

 

[grubstake]

We have all no doubt heard about the Brisbane Line, however how much of Australia was going to be defended if the Japanese invaded Australia during WW2?
Couldn't find any clear map on Google showing the line.

Found some notes (recorded after a discussion) from the early 80's while occupying my time cleaning up my computer room.

In the 80's was having a beer or three in the Yalgoo pub and struck up a conversation with old prospector.
During the course of the conversation he told me that during WW2 he was a army truck driver with home defence.
He went onto explain that when Japan entered the war and eventually occupied the Philippines and were pushing south, Australia & Britain formed the Brisbane Line, which in effect would virtually surrender WA, NT FNQ?
This old timer claimed he along with many other drivers hauled tons of munitions, which were buried at secret location along this line.
He claimed these depots are probably still buried out there in no mans land?
Were the munitions secretly stored and were they ever retrieved?
Can anyone verify this claim if it was true or beer talk?

I wonder if old mate was confusing the secret wartime construction of the Corunna Downs airfield southwest of Marble Bar, with the then hotly-debated Brisbane Line claims, which seem to be relate to defenses constructed on the other side of the continent?

Bombers Hidden in the Desert:
No mention was ever made during the war of these highly secret operations in press or radio reports and every effort was made to keep from the Japanese any knowledge that Corunna Downs airfield existed.
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/bombers-hidden-in-the-desert-ng-ya-343363

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corunna_Downs_Airfield
http://www.marblebar.org.au/destination/marble-bar/corunna-downs-airfield/

 

[Jaros]

I did take some photos of the old tank obstacles at Paddies Flat above Drake in Northern NSW which were part of the Brisbane Line believe it or not. Can't find the photos now.

Cheers

Doug

Found it, just excuse Larry, he wanted to be in all the photos after we rescued him from the Western Plains Zoo.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...s/7504/1587905835_img_0757_1_copy_800x598.jpg

Cheers

Doug

This topic was shown on the Qld Great Sth East CH7. a few years ago. They were to stop the tanks getting past.

 

[Tathradj]

I have mentioned this before in here.
We had a lot of fortification going on as well.
All inland roads were rigged with explosives,
Gun Emplacements in strategic positions all up
and down the coast.
It came out after the war, Actually about 10 years
ago that a push from the enemy was to start
down here in the South Coast for Canberra.

Out around Collecter In the ACT, There are bunkers
plus it is rumoured that there was a heap of planes
and such blown shut in a cavern somewhere.

 

[Whisp]

I have heard so many stories of war materiel being secreted away in hidden locations or buried for later retrieval and of all the stories surrounding this I have never ever heard of any of this stuff being recovered to see the light of day again.
I had one bloke tell me he knew of where were hundreds of Harley Davidson motorcycles and I said "Well if you know where they are why haven't you retrieved them?" This was at the point when Harley's were becoming popular with normal people, not just outlaw MC gangs. His response was that he didn't need them yet he was one of those people that were always scrounging for money.

So I call BS on all these stories.

The Brisbane line probably existed but only as a plan with no logistics being thrown at it.