Bankstown Bunker

Bankstown Bunker
Bankstown bunker in 1945
LocationCondell Park, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates33°55′01″S 151°00′54″E / 33.9170°S 151.0149°E / -33.9170; 151.0149
Built1943–1944
Built forRoyal Australian Air Force
ArchitectAllied Works Council
Official nameAir Defence Headquarters Ruin Sydney (former); ADHQ Sydney; No. 1 Fighter Section Headquarters; 1FSHQ; Bankstown Bunker; RAAF No. 1 Installation Bankstown; No. 101 Fighter Sector
TypeState heritage (complex / group)
Designated18 November 2011
Reference no.1857
TypeDefence Base Air Force
CategoryDefence
BuildersStuart Bros
Bankstown Bunker is located in Sydney
Bankstown Bunker
Location of Bankstown Bunker in Sydney

The Bankstown Bunker, formerly known as Air Defence Headquarters Sydney (ADHQ Sydney), is a heritage-listed defunct Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operations facility, located on the corner of Marion and Edgar Street, in Condell Park, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the Allied Works Council and built from 1943 to 1944 by Stuart Bros Pty Ltd of Sydney. It is also known as Air Defence Headquarters Ruin Sydney (former), No. 1 Fighter Section Headquarters, 1FSHQ, Bankstown Bunker and RAAF No. 1 Installation Bankstown; No. 101 Fighter Sector. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 November 2011.[1]

After the arrival of General Douglas MacArthur in Australia during World War II, Bankstown Airport was established as a key strategic air force base to support the war effort. During this period the specially constructed bunker became an important RAAF headquarters from 1945 until its closure in 1947.[2] The Bankstown bunker is currently buried under a public park which lies at the end of Taylor Street, and is not accessible by the general public.[3][4][5]

  1. ^ "Air Defence Headquarters Ruin Sydney (former)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01857. Retrieved 18 February 2020. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  2. ^ Maltby, Kathy; Rosen, Sue. From Settlement to City. Bankstown: Bankstown City Council. p. 13. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Veitch, Alen (24 June 1971). "The Bankstown Bunker". Australian Post.
  4. ^ Images of the Bankstown Bunker located in Condell Park. Archived 16 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "NO. 1 FIGHTER SECTOR HEADQUARTERS RAAF". Australia @ War.