I have, for a number of years now, attempted to visit Fort Glanville and have yet to get beyond the perimeter fence from where my attached photograph is taken. Readers of my reviews will be aware of my interest in the history of places I visit.
Despite what it says on the Fort’s website, it is not open of a Tuesday and I have yet to be able to coincide a visit to Adelaide with the afternoon of a third Sunday of a month between September and May. This, I suspect, is the only time it is actually open, based on the fact that they publish the next Sunday opening times on site and the sign does change – I pass it regularly when I am in Adelaide as I stay in nearby Port Adelaide. I shall keep trying!
I generally do not do reviews on places I have not visited and a look in from the perimeter fence, in this case, does not constitute a visit.
Suffice to say, to entice you to consider a visit, that Fort Glanville was built, by the British, between 1878 and 1882 to guard the entrance to Port Adelaide and the anchorage at Semaphore, spurred on by the sighting of a Russian cruiser near Port Phillip in 1862 and rumours of Russian spies in Australia.
The fort never, in fact, saw action with an enemy – surely a good thing?
Within six years of the Fort’s completion, Port Largs, a little further up the coast, took over key responsibility for the defence of Adelaide and, with that, Fort Glanville went into decline. By 1903 there was no longer a permanent military presence at the fort. It lay vacant and neglected for most of the 20th century.
In 1972 the National Parks and Wildlife Service got control and both the Fort and its surrounds became the Fort Glanville Conservation Park. After the completion of significant conservation work the, then newly created, Fort Glanville Historical Association opened the Fort to public visits in 1981. It is billed as ‘the most original and complete example of a 19th century coastal artillery fort still standing in Australia’.
Today rumours abound locally as to the financial status of the Historical Association and talk is that the Fort may soon close its doors again. Perhaps if it tried opening it on a more regular basis its income may increase as people like me might actually be able to get in and pay to do so.
On the Sundays it is open, visitors are treated to a re-enactment though I understand you can go on a self-guided tour of the fort as well (and perhaps instead of) watching the re-enactment. Difficult to tell as it is now some time since the website below was updated.
I shall continue in my endeavours to gain access to Fort Glanville and should I succeed I will update this review.
Location
359 Military Rd, Semaphore
At the south end of the Semaphore esplanade and where the 457mm gauge railway (toy train) from Semaphore Jetty terminates. A 2 kms pleasant walk from the jetty.
Entry Fee
Yes – see website.
Website: http://www.fortglanville.com.au/
For my next SEMAPHORE review click HERE.
To start reading at the beginning of my SEMAPHORE reviews click HERE.
The Rambling Wombat 