Addresses
Type of place
Warehouse, Defence site
Period
World War II 1939-1945
This is an image of the local heritage place known as WWII Igloos
WWII Igloos
Addresses
Type of place
Warehouse, Defence site
Period
World War II 1939-1945
Camp Seabee was constructed in early 1943, as part of the expansion of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) base at Eagle Farm. The camp housed the 55th Naval Construction Battalion that also built the camp. It was the smallest of the four camps that comprised the Eagle Farm base as the Seabee battalion also operated an USN ordnance depot at Mt Cootha. Camp Seabee operated until the end of the war in 1945.
Also known as
Camp Seabee Igloos (former)
Lot plan
L826_SL3770
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Information —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Corrugated iron
People/associations
55th Naval Construction Battalion (US) (Builder)Interactive mapping
Also known as
Camp Seabee Igloos (former)
Lot plan
L826_SL3770
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Information —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Corrugated iron
People/associations
55th Naval Construction Battalion (US) (Builder)Interactive mapping
History
The Seabees were a military unit component of the US Navy. Officially designated Naval Construction Battalions they were collectively known as Seabee battalions after the unit logo that was designed by Frank J. Lafrate in early 1942. A training centre for these battalions was established at Davisville, Rhode Island on 11 August 1942. It trained over 100,000 Seabees during the war.
Formed in 1942, the 55th Naval Construction Battalion shipped to Brisbane in early 1943. Initially they lived in tents at Camp Doomben. It took 10 days to construct the first part of Camp Seabee, largely sleeping quarters and a mess hall for the navy men. The main entrance was off Eagle Farm Road (now Kingsford Smith Drive). Camp Seabee was constructed after Camp Doomben (all services), Eagle Farm Airfield (USAAF), Camp Meandah (US Army Services of Supply) and the military stockade Camp La Fayette. Camp Seabee was built adjacent to Camp La Feyette with Camp Seabee having access to Bunour rail station on the Pinkenba Line.
The extant igloos were built at the rear of Camp Seabee are all that is left of the many permanent structures placed by the Seabees on this site. The Seabees also built the Mt Cootha sea mines depot, the USN 109th Hospital at Camp Hill, the USN Toombul warehouse complex at Northgate as well as other structures for the USN throughout Brisbane.
References
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Brisbane City Council, aerial photographs for 1946, 2001 and 2005
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Brisbane City Council, Properties on the Web, website, post-1946 building cards
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Brisbane City Council, Properties on the Web, Applications/Site History
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Brisbane City Council, Sewerage Map No. 199, 28 July 1927
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Brisbane City Council, New Farm Heritage Survey, (Brisbane: BCC Heritage Unit, 1995)
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Department of Natural Resources, Queensland Certificates of title and other records.
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Environmental Protection Agency, “Walkerston State Butcher’s Shop” citation
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John Oxley Library, photographic collection.
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Fisher, Rod & Crozier, Brian. The Queensland House: A Roof Over Our Heads. (Brisbane: Queensland. 1994)
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Musgrave, Elizabeth, Kaylee Wilson and Brisbane City Council Heritage Unit. New Farm and Teneriffe Hill: Heritage and Character Study. October 1995
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Queensland Post Office Directories, 1868-1949
prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised March 2023)