MOUNT GRAVATT U.S. SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY
DURING WW2

During WW2, the American Army removed the shelter shed and beacon that were located on top of Mount Gravatt in Brisbane and installed a Sperry searchlight battery from April to June 1942. Every night fingers of light from the tops of hills around Brisbane would light up the sky. The searchlight on Mount Gravatt was initially manned by the 94th Coast Artillery (AA) Regiment, 40th Anti-aircraft Brigade. It was part of the outer ring of searchlights for the defense of Brisbane. There are no longer any visible signs of the WW2 occupation of the top of Mount Gravatt. None that I could find!

Occasionally some practice rounds or star shells would be fired from guns located elsewhere in the Brisbane area.

April 2002

The lookout on top of Mount Gravatt looking towards the city

Some sources have incorrectly suggested there may have been some anti-aircraft guns also located on Mount Gravatt. There were never any anti-aircraft guns on Mount Gravatt. There was only ever one searchlight on top of Mount Gravatt.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I'd like to thank Ray Denning (now deceased), former President of the Mt. Gravatt District Historical Association for his assistance with this home page.

I'd also like to thank Chris Peters from Charters Towers, Mrs Bainbridge and Russell Miller for their assistance with this home page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 27 May 2001

This page last updated 19 January 2020