Ammunition Bunker No. 2

Located approximately 14 metres north-east of Gun Emplacement No. 2 is the associated Ammunition Bunker No. 2. Reaching it requires a short walk through low bushland and over sand dunes that, in places, feels unexpectedly deep.

 

The external appearance closely resembles the Operations Bunker. A narrow pathway descends between parallel brick walls, leading you through a metal gate and into the structure. Inside, two rooms branch off to the left, both heavily filled with windblown sand. This accumulation is consistent with the site’s exposure to strong coastal winds. Interestingly, several heritage documents refer to these entry passages as tunnels, a term frequently applied to World War II infrastructure.

 

The external walls and roof are constructed from reinforced concrete slabs. Ventilation is minimal. Fine dust hangs in the still air, coating surfaces and making breathing uncomfortable. With each step through the soft sand, clouds of dust rise and linger, briefly obscuring vision, particularly when moving quickly within the confined space.

 

The interior walls appear darkened with soot-like staining, giving the rooms a smoke-blackened appearance despite the absence of any heat source. The enclosed space traps warmth and the combination of heat, dust and stagnant air quickly becomes physically draining.

 

A narrow brick-lined passage runs along the eastern and southern sides of the bunker, terminating at a dead end. This layout was designed to shield occupants from the effects of nearby explosions by deflecting blast pressure. Constructed largely below ground level, or possibly entirely, prior to later sand erosion, the bunker relied on its reinforced concrete structure and steel blast doors to protect those inside.