In 1853, the colonial city of Melbourne was thriving. The Victorian gold rush, which had begun a few years earlier and would last until the late 1860s, saw roughly two tonnes of gold swell the coffers of Melbourne’s Treasury Building every week.

And while the gold generated enormous wealth and prosperity across the region, it also bred fear. Such vast piles of treasure were sure to attract the attention of enemies, especially given the lack of defences the city and its harbour possessed. 

At the time, the British Empire was on the cusp of war with Russia and the French had recently colonised New Caledonia. The threat of attack and invasion from either seemed very real.

In response, the Victorian Government devised a coastal defence network for Port Phillip that would be headquartered at Shortland’s Bluff; the genesis of Fort Queenscliff.

Construction began in 1860, with three cannons positioned overlooking the entrance to Port Phillip. Further defences were installed on Swan Island, Point Nepean, Pope’s Eye and South Channel Island throughout the following decades, establishing an extensive chain of artillery and fortification that made Port Phillip one of the most heavily protected harbours in the British Empire.

A garrison charged with operating these defences was stationed at Fort Queenscliff continuously from 1883 until 1946, in which time the guns were only ever fired in anger twice. Famously, both shots are widely thought to have been the first Allied shots fired in both World Wars. The first, a warning shot fired from Fort Nepean on the German steamer, SS Pfalz as it attempted to escape the bay, occurred just minutes after war had been declared against Germany on the 5th of August, 1914. The second was also a warning shot fired from Fort Nepean, this time on an Australian vessel that had failed to identify itself. This occurred on the 4th of September, 1939, just hours after World War Two began.

The remains of many of these installations can still be seen today. Fort Queenscliff keep, which is located on Gellibrand St right next to the black lighthouse, has been wonderfully restored and is now known as Fort Queenscliff Museum.