South Australia's colonial defences
South Australia's major defences before 1901 comprised the following facilities:
- the forts at Largs and Glanville, both located on the coast facing into Gulf St Vincent (the forts were linked by the Military Road from Glenelg to Largs);
- the Torpedo Station on Port River; and
- the cruiser Protector, which was in service from 1884. The Protector was transferred to the Commonwealth defence service on Federation in 1901.
The military installations also played some part in the 1914–18 and 1939–45 wars. Fort Glanville has been restored and is now a popular Adelaide tourist attraction.
Records relating to colonial defence fortifications in South Australia
The National Archives office in Adelaide holds a range of records relating to Fort Glanville and Fort Largs, and more limited information on the Port River Torpedo Station. Minutes of the colonial Defence Committee and annual returns of military and naval resources of the colony are also held. Details of records held are provided in the table below. Log books for the Protector from 1884 until it was decommissioned from the Royal Australian Navy in 1921 are held in our Sydney office.
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Original drawings, plans and prints of National Estate properties | 1847–1980 | D1051 |
| Fort record books – Fort Largs and Fort Malta | 1878–1958 | AP69/1 |
| Miscellaneous maps, documents, books and correspondence – Fort Glanville and Fort Largs | 1881–1961 | AP161/1 |
| Title or description of record | Date | Series, item number |
|---|---|---|
| Defence Schemes by the Colonial Defence Committee | 1886–93 | AP613/8 |
| Annual returns of military and naval resources of South Australia | 1887–1914 | AP613/6 |
| Defence Committee minute book | 1894–1901 | AP39/1 |
| Port Adelaide Torpedo station | 1916–29 | A569, B1925/2573 |
| Obsolete six-inch guns – Fort Largs | 1928–29 | D845, 1928/48 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Log books for HMAS Protector – bundles 446 to 449, 455, 457 to 471, and 4665 | 1884–1921 | SP551/1 |
| Fort Largs – extensions to site | 1907–12 | D4212, SA1911/634 |
| Miscellaneous collection of papers and books – record of historical interest – Fort Glanville and Fort Largs | 1957–62 | D844, 274/1/93 |