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Hidden WWII Fuel Storage Tanks | Darwin Australia | 5K [2022]

Discussion in 'Living History' started by NT_Australia, Mar 21, 2022.

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  1. NT_Australia

    NT_Australia Member

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    Its 1943. Its hot. The terrain steep. The conditions are not much better.

    And you and your team need to build 5 oil tanks.

    Welcome to Darwin!

    These five storage tanks are located at different locations along the Darwin cliff face. 1 Located in Larrakeyah, another at Doctors Gully and 3 along the Bicentennial Park. Get up close like no one has before and view these grand tanks.

    One (at Doctors Gully) was even transferred into a rock climbing facility - The Rock Centre!
     
    NT_Australia, Mar 21, 2022
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    Biak, GRW, Kai-Petri and 1 other person like this.
  2. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    OpanaPointer, Mar 21, 2022
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  3. Riter

    Riter Well-Known Member

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    Must have been camouflaged back then.
     
    Riter, Apr 9, 2022
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  4. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Why couldn't they put a tent over them?
     
    OpanaPointer, Apr 9, 2022
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  5. NT_Australia

    NT_Australia Member

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    Im not sure if it was camouflaged.
     
    NT_Australia, Apr 21, 2022
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  6. NT_Australia

    NT_Australia Member

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    Possible.
     
    NT_Australia, Apr 21, 2022
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  7. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Hindshite is always obvious.
     
    OpanaPointer, Apr 21, 2022
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  8. Biak

    Biak Boy from Illinois Staff Member

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    This peeked my interest, plus it's been a long winter and I've got time to go exploring, I found this informative. I don't think this is the same area so maybe a Series is in the Future ?

    South of Collins Avenue, opposite Tanks 1 and 2 and on the former railway alignment, a fire station (garage) and foam tank were constructed.[1]

    Tanks 3-5 were sited further west, on the former quarry located partly within the recreation reserve and partly within a quarry reserve. This area was already part excavated. Further excavation, including removal of a rocky outcrop, was undertaken during the second half of 1943 to create a level site for tanks 3–5.[1]

    Tanks 3-5 were sited away from the first two tanks for several reasons. Firstly the landscape was prohibitive and part of the hill had to be removed, with the core left for camouflage, before all five tanks could be constructed. Secondly, having tanks 3-5 located at some distance from tanks 1-2 decreased risk to the whole installation. Thirdly, existing mature trees and the topography could be capitalised on to camouflage tanks 3-5 (tanks 1 and 2 relied on heavy steel cables and netting material as camouflage).[1]

    Because tanks 3-5 were intended for the storage of crude oil they were constructed in reinforced concrete. This was hand-poured by a team of contractors from Melbourne, with some workers inscribing their names in the concrete bunds surrounding the tanks. A second pump house was constructed adjacent to tanks 3–5, and an underground fuel pipeline was laid from this pump house south east across the adjacent recreation reserve to join the pipeline from tanks 1 and 2 along the disused railway embankment. The former fuel pipeline still runs under north Cairns.

    WWII RAN Fuel Installation, Edge Hill - Wikipedia
     
    Biak, Apr 21, 2022
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