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About 5 years ago I got in contact with a Queensland group of bunker researchers who have done alot of work in areas around Townsville North Queensland, places like Castle Hill and Mt Louisa are known to have these bunkers and many are publically accessible. However, there have always been rumours of larger systems in the Stuart Ranges behind Townsville and out west towards Charters Towers. These areas had many large airfields, supply areas and storage dumps during the war. This same group have released a number of photographs of various finds, I believe some pics may have turned up on Pacific Wrecks ( not sure) and I have seen some magazine articles on them too. Their research is based on the WW2 emergency plan (just a theory according to some) known as the Brisbane Line. This was an imaginary line the Australian Defence force drew on a map shortly after Darwin was bombed and was supposed to be the line of concentrated defences in Australia. Some researchers have supported this theory with arguments that most major Australian Defence facilities were in fact constructed behind this imaginary line. However, when the Big Mac arrived and was eventually given full control of all forces, he was said to be amazed at the apparent acceptance to allow the Northern part of Australia to be left very thin of defences. He then instigated a series of bunker systems be constructed beyond this Brisbane line, that would house stores, munitions, vehicles, aircraft and so on.
I guess the idea was these would act as reserves should an invasion of mainland Australia occur, but thanks to our US allies whipping the Japanese in the Coral Sea this did not eventuate. So the story is that many of these systems still exist in remote areas of Australia, entrances blown up and bulldozed at the end of the war.
I did live in Townsville and surrounding areas for a while and did visit some of the better known sites, even managed to find some smaller bunkers that had been covered but had been emptied as well. Very similar to Darwins Snake valley system which had roads, rail networks, workshops, you know what I mean, we've all heard about them. I did provide a map and information relating to one such bunker system to a group and was promised a contract etc. I am still waiting!
I can not say this is the same group though but I suspect this is the general scenario.
Hope this helps.
Digger
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