FORT  BALLANCE

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     Work started on the fort in 1885 and by 1888 it had two 7" RML guns, a 6" BLHP gun, two 6pdr QF Nordenfelt guns as well as associated magazines, engine rooms and Barracks. The magazine for the North 6" BLHP gun has two levels with the lower one used for the storage of the shells and cartridges which were lifted up to the main level by block and tackle. The rings for the tackle remain attached to the ceiling above the hatches. Another 6" BLHP gun later replaced the south 7" RML gun with modification of the gunpit to suit.

     On the western side of the fort beneath the southern Fire Control Station was the barracks. It was a long masonry structure with entrances at both it's ends. The front of the barracks contained three rooms. Both of the end rooms had fireplaces in them. The two rooms behind the centre room are set into the side of the hill. The wall of the fort runs between the 6pdr QF Nordenfelt emplacements on the flanks and the Barracks building. This wall appears to be made of corrugated Iron - which in fact it is two sheets of corrugated iron about 6" apart with concrete poured into the gap between them (like a sandwich).

     On Mt. Crawford on the landward side of the fort a Musketry parapet was constructed. This was to defend the landward approached to Fort Ballance and its associated works. Among the associated works was a control station for the minefield that was to be laid across the harbour channel in times of need. It was northward of Fort Ballance and has a short curving tunnel which led to two underground rooms. The smaller of the two rooms has a slit window offering a view of the minefield. The mines were to be detonated electrically. However this minefield was never needed and thus never laid.

     Down the bank a bit on the Seaward side of the fort is an emplacement for a "See-Saw" searchlight emplacement. A lamp sat on the bottom end of a boom with a mirror on the top end to reflect the light outward. This arm could pivot to project the light in the desired direction. It was not that effective however. This was built about 1891/92 and was abandoned in the late 1890's. It is the only one built in New Zealand and is one of a small number of them internationally.

     About 100ft south of Fort Ballance another battery was built. This was Fort Gordon and was armed with a 8" BLHP gun. It's magazine was built in the hillside with a short access tunnel with BOP above it.

     At sea level at the foot of Point Gordon was built The Low Battery with two 64pdr RML guns which were removed from Fort Buckley. The Low Battery's guns were removed about 1904 when a 12pdr QF battery was emplaced nearby.

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     The defence focus which saw the numerous gun batteries built around the headland of the Miramar Peninsula shifted from denying entrance to the harbour to denying entrance to the harbour channel. As a result these emplacements including the ones built at Point Gordon had passed their prime by the beginning of World War 1 with Fort Dorset located at Pt Dorset by the entrance to the harbour channel being the principal coastal defence installation. This focus was to move even further outward by World War Two. Despite this Fort Ballance was manned during the World War 1.

     The BLHP guns and 6pdr's were declared obsolete in 1925 and the fort was abandoned as a coastal defence installation. Both the BLHP gun emplacements of Fort Ballance and Fort Gordon were roofed over and were used as ammunition storage.      By February of 1941 instructions were given for two 4" gun emplacements with searchlight emplacements, engine rooms, Battery Observation Post, Command Post, War shelter and personnel accommodation. The large flat terrace on the landward side of Fort Ballance was created during this work to provide space for the Barracks.      By February 1942 the Japanese were advancing through South East Asia and into the Pacific and so as part of a massive defence building program a twin 6pdr battery with War shelter, Command Post and additional accommodation was built nearby. The BLHP emplacements were still being used as ammunition storage.

     In August 1957 the Government announced that the Coastal Artillery was obsolete and thus over the following few years most of the Coastal Defence batteries were decommissioned.      At some stage since World War 2 - possibly in the 1970's the BLHP emplacements of Forts Ballance and Gordon were filled in with dirt. The dirt in the emplacements at Fort Ballance was later excavated about April of 1992. The Army built six houses where during World war 2 barracks had stood on the terrace on Fort Ballance's landward side. These houses were removed either late 1990 or in 1991.

     Although little remains today of the works built during World War Two on Point Gordon Fort Ballance is still largely intact despite being devoid of equipment and fittings. Fort Gordon is still buried over but otherwise structurally intact. However the Low Battery has disappeared with only it's partially sealed up magazine set into the hillside remaining.

     Fort Ballance has a category ‘A' Historic Places Trust classification And is listed on the Wellington City Council's Heritage inventory.      The land that the fort occupies is still owned by the Defence department along with much of the Miramar headland northward of Shelly Bay and Scorching Bay (other than Justice department's prison land.) and has been deemed surplus to requirement. It is (at the time of writing) still going through the process employed for the disposal of Crown land.

     Unfortunately the future of the defence land is uncertain despite the fact that not only does it contain Forts Gordon and Ballance as well as their associated structures but also the aforementioned musketry parapet, Kau Pt Battery (8"BLHP gun), Halswell Battery (8"BLHP gun), Shelly Bay Airforce base (formerly HMNZS COOK) who's buildings predominantly built during World War 2 but varying from about 1880 to the early 1990's, Magazine area, 3.7" Anti- Aircraft Battery.

     I have had the opportunity in late 1999 to walk over the headland visiting in turn each of the above mentioned sites checking up on their condition. Despite the fact I was near the Airport I found the Headland to be a quiet tranquil area - ironic since the area was developed to violently repel any invading forces. Unfortunately if Suburbia invades this area then even if the sites themselves remain the interrelationship of the sites that still exist will be lost forever.

Darcy Waters.

February 12, 2000

ADDENDUM:

I had another oportunity to walk across the Miramar Headland on the 2nd July 2004, checking on the condition of the various sites. While the grass in what was the barrack area has been kept mowed, the fort itself is badly OVERGROWN again. And the caretakers house which was just below the barrack area on the Scorching bay side has GONE. Was it demolished? Was it shifted? I don't know. The path from the fort to the house has been widened to take trucks with dirt. Also the path from there to Scorching bay has either badly overgrown or been ripped up.

Darcy Waters

July 5th 2004
 
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