13 Jun 2023 - Perth Day 6: Oliver Hill Gun and Tunnel Tour

There are many interesting places to explore on Rottnest Island and not possible to cover all in a day.  We decided to take a guided tour to Oliver Hill to learn more about Western Australia's military history.

The tour includes a relaxing ride on The Captain Hussey historical train.  Departing from the train station in the main settlement, the 64-seat Captain Hussey train blends enjoyment and education, passing iconic and historical landmarks along the southside of the island.

Following are some beautiful views of Rottnest Island from the train during the journey.

Other than passing many salt lakes and through the bristling scrub, we passed by a big field full of solar panels and also an airport with private planes.

After a 20 minutes train ride, we arrived at Oliver Hill, a significant historical Australian World War II heritage site.  An incredible natural lookout, Oliver Hill offers a panoramic view over the entire southern side of the island. We could also see the iconic Wadjemup Lighthouse in the distance.

The guided tour was run by Rottnest Island's volunteer guides.  First we all gathered in a small room where the guide briefed us on the military history of the island and particularly the site at Oliver Hill.

After listening to all the interesting historical events, we proceeded to explore Oliver Hill Battery.  Constructed in 1937 to defend Fremantle Port from potential enemy seaborne attacks, the battery of two 11-metre 9.2-inch naval guns at Oliver Hill is now a significant heritage icon. In fact, it’s the only intact emplacement of its type left in Australia.  These guns were capable of firing an armour-piercing shell up to 28 km away, ensuring Fremantle’s safety from enemy attack. 

At one point, the tour guide demonstrated how shells were being loaded into the gun.

According to the guide, the gun had not actually fired a real shell during the war but it did fire the below sub-calibre practice round during firing exercise.

We then had a closer exterior view of the gun.

After viewing the battery, the guided tour continued underground to explore the tunnels that burrow into the sandy hillside, used to house the gun’s engine room and ammunition supply. 

There was an extensive network of tunnels underground and we visited various sections of the tunnels, including Underground Hydraulic Pump Chamber, Shell Room and Cordite Room – both part of Underground Magazine and Engine Room.

The guided tour ended at the other end of the tunnel, and we took a slow walk back to the starting point at the battery.

We then proceeded to board the Captain Hussey historical train at Oliver Hill station to return to the main settlement area, where we continued our adventure on Rottnest Island.

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