1
TRANSMITTING STATION RAAF
BELGIAN GARDENS
TOWNSVILLE, QLD
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII
No. 1 Transmitting Station RAAF was located at Belgian Gardens just south of the Belgian Gardens Cemetery in Townsville. Tenders were called by the Commonwealth Department of Works, Interior Works and Services Branch for the erection of three steel masts with a closing date of 31 October 1940. Work commenced on installation of an emergency power house in about mid 1941 fitted with a 80 HP Blackstone engine fitted to a 50KW alternator.
An entry in 12 Signals Unit Operations Record Book for 27 October 1943 states:-
"Antennae installation at No. 1 Transmitting Station TOWNSVILLE completed by P.M.G. Dept."
No. 1 Transmitting Station RAAF at Belgian Gardens many years after WWII
The Rhombic aerial arrays were supported mainly by three 150 feet tall self supporting steel towers and thirty 70 feet guyed masts spread over a wide area. Two of the steel towers and one 70 foot guyed mast were fitted with obstruction lighting to warn aircraft of their presence. After the war on 2 August 1946 a request was submitted to install more warning lights.
Plan:- NAA
Shows Rhombic aerials pointed to
Tulagi,
Rabaul, Vila - Suva and Brisbane
Not shown on the above cropped plan are other rhombic aerials pointed to Laverton and Amberley.
Photo:- Timothy Allen collection
1 Transmitting Station towers and
masts can just be seen between
the tail of the B-25 Mitchell and that large beacon tower
Photo:- Timothy Allen collection
Closeup of the towers and masts of
1 Transmitting Station Belgian Gardens
No. 2 Transmitting Station was located in a farm house at Mount Louisa during WWII.
Keith Green (ex RAAF) worked at No. 1 Transmitting Station at Belgian Gardens many years after the war and shared his memories of his time at the site as follows:-
"I might add that this transmitting station was built in 1940. Work commenced on installation of an emergency power house in about mid 1941 fitted with a 80 HP Blackstone engine fitted to a 50KW alternator. I had the very nervous task of starting this Lister Blackstone on many occasions for operation ok checks and also Xmas 1971 (second posting to Tvl) in cyclone Althea to get the Marine Broadcast HF Transmitters up and broadcasting while many antenna arrays were crashing down. Now that was fun as the fibro roof was peeling off and it would have been asbestos cement sheeting of that vintage. Also fun hanging onto the walkway between the generator building and the transmitter hall in the cyclone gale force winds. Hanging on should better be put as body horizontal with feet barley touching the ground. I might add that the transmitter station also housed the Airfield NDB beacon which had to be kept up and going for the cyclone relief aircraft."
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Keith Green and Peter Johnstone for their assistance with this web page.
Can anyone help me with more information?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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This page first produced 24 January 2021
This page last updated 06 February 2022
