Exploring underground bunkers near Canberra

peterh:

It isn’t so hard to set up something that will convert dubdubdubdotthedashriotactdotcom to http://www.the-riotact.com, or recognise that ilikethattscathatatscathatsanddotcommunistsdotcom might be ilikethatdottedcommunistscathat@scathatsanddotcommunists.com (although the same script would generate a lot of clutter with an email address like that)

The only way to avoid spam entirely is have no online presense or a forever improving filter.

Ozhair, maybe next time put your email as “atcaliburnproductionsdotcom” that way the spam sniffers won’t pick it up?

spam. i prefer it in a can.

PBO, if you see this, could you get in touch on pat@caliburnproductions.com

Cheers

Zapruda said :

Peterh, where do you cave?

I only manage to get out to Bungongia and Wee J every now and then (quite some time ago now I think of it)

I guess what im asking is if there are any caves in or around canberra that are worth a look at for an intermediate caver with the right gear?

the only caves around here that were any good were the cotter caves, they have been closed by ACT rangers – dangerous (what cave isn’t) I used to go to a couple of undisclosed caves near abercrombie and wombeyan that are on private landowners properties, but the landowners aren’t keen anymore. There is an interesting cave near the river down by the camp site at wee j, you have to trek a bit down the bank to the entrance, but it is pretty muddy, opens out into a big cavern, but wear a wetsuit, it is partially flooded and the water is
really cold.

I have just heard that a bunker has been discovered at Old Parliament House at the southern end of the building, as part of the current redevelopment works going on there. Investigations are underway to find out more about it.

btw Cave Clan may be able to help you with locational history.

o0o urbex – all teh leet haxxors kids are doing it nowdays – and getting all the good (From my photographical aspect) locations locked down due to graffiti and vandalism.

Urbex used to be about take only photos leave only footprints – but now its more about I have done X number of locations compared to your Y amount. Kids break into locations (Not pointing any fingers here – if you say you had permission to be on private land I believe you) and trash them.

I could at times stealth into locations @ night (Yes trespass) and take very artistic photos.

Where I could not do that I usually could socially engineer or beg an owner to let me in anad take photos.

I got a full guided tour of Kingston Power Station (Now the glassworks) by the forshore authority because I sent them a nice email

I tend to find that when I show interest insome peoples more obscure passions or occupations, they are so happy to give me a guided tour and full explination of facilities etc.

Of course 9/11 comprehensively raped that for me, and even with my High level credentials at work I still have trouble

When I started URBEX term was not even phrased – it was just Photographing industrial decay.

Innernet and digital photography has made “Urbex” mainstream and quite quickly made it “Cool”

I still use film I’m that old school – besides – much better for long exposures .

PBO said :

Just so everyone knows, it is private property and we have complete permission to be there.
Peterh:
The structure is about 5 ft thick reinforced concrete and it is 4 ft underground. The entrance has been backfilled and we seriously doubt that it has Ordnance in it as it is well ventilated (two small chimmneys) and the Canberra region was mainly a transport facility in WW2 (Thats why there were 40 Dakota transport planes based at Fairbairn until well after the war). The double doorway that we are in the process of opening is about 10ft high and 8ft across. The whole deal screams old comms centre.

It might have tressure inside or it may have bondage equipment form WWII (what else is there to do in wartime Canberra)…and there is always the possibility that is full of mutilated squirrels.

You won’t know until you open it! Best of luck, sound like a fun adventure.

Make sure you have Sayid, Locke & Jack with you PBO!

hey skid,
I’ve been to some of those bunkers in Denmark, they are very cool to explore, but I hadn’t heard of that actually happening before.

maybe PBO can post some photos when they get in…

here are the bomb dumps at piallago:

And they look kinda like this…

Just hoping it does not turn out to be a huge, overly elaborate septic system (unlikely).

amarooresident said :

PBO said :

amarooresident said :

found it

http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/bunkers.htm

Sorry, but it is not Historic Calthorpes House (But there is a bunker there that is publicly accessible), It is near Canberra, not in it, but really close.

Sorry I wasn’t referring to Calthorpes House but the website that I referred to at #13.

Good luck with your bunker by the way.

Thanks, cool site.

here are the bomb dumps at piallago:

The buildings are rectangular in plan, the largest being roughly 21ft wide by 40ft long internally. The buildings are constructed in reinforced concrete with a semi circular arched form providing an internal height of 10ft 6 inches above the concrete floor slab. Four of the buildings (type B) are closed at each end; from each of the side walls a projection encloses an opening which can be closed by a heavy wooden sliding door framed and sheeted in steel. Attached to some of the projecting openings are the remains of timber battens to which the short timber walls shown in the Department of Interior drawings were probably attached. These walls would have retained soil intended to cover the arched roof and which was banked up against the end walls, ensuring clear access to the projecting door openings. Over the years much of the soil covering the concrete roofs has been washed away with little trace of the timber walls remaining. Steel pipes protruding from the top of the buildings would have stood up above the soil to provide ventilation. One of these four buildings was completely refurbished in 1988. Remaining earth cover was removed and some modifications carried out.

The surrounding area has been graded and security fenced and access is restricted.

The remaining buildings are vacant. The fifth building (type A), though similar in shape to the others has no sliding doors and is open at one end. This end of the concrete arch is formed into a concrete flange. Bolts protruding from the front face of the concrete flange suggest that a light structure of some kind was once attached, but no evidence of this remains.

PBO said :

amarooresident said :

found it

http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/bunkers.htm

Sorry, but it is not Historic Calthorpes House (But there is a bunker there that is publicly accessible), It is near Canberra, not in it, but really close.

Sorry I wasn’t referring to Calthorpes House but the website that I referred to at #13.

Good luck with your bunker by the way.

PBO said :

Just so everyone knows, it is private property and we have complete permission to be there.
Peterh:
The structure is about 5 ft thick reinforced concrete and it is 4 ft underground. The entrance has been backfilled and we seriously doubt that it has Ordnance in it as it is well ventilated (two small chimmneys) and the Canberra region was mainly a transport facility in WW2 (Thats why there were 40 Dakota transport planes based at Fairbairn until well after the war). The double doorway that we are in the process of opening is about 10ft high and 8ft across. The whole deal screams old comms centre.

if it is near the airport, maybe. But, there were ordnance dumps here, and there were dakotas carrying infantry out with ordnance as well. I checked on a site for a similar bunker, and it was ordnance near gundagai. proceed carefully. the 2 chimneys may well be filter cannisters and will ensure air in or out without moisture.

comms centres are usually not a metal skinned environ. they will have concrete overlay on the door, to prevent interference.

amarooresident said :

found it

http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/bunkers.htm

Sorry, but it is not Historic Calthorpes House (But there is a bunker there that is publicly accessible), It is near Canberra, not in it, but really close.

Just open it already, Indy!

amarooresident said :

The old bunkers “chocas with old gear” thing is, as far as I know an urban myth. Happy to be proved wrong.

Not a myth, just very, very rare worldwide.
http://news.sawf.org/Travel/52250.aspx

You’d have to be pretty damn lucky to have something in Australia that was effectively abandoned with usable equipment left behind.
I don’t think even Tenterfield or Miles is willing to claim they have any undiscovered Brisbane Line treasures, these days.

found it

http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/bunkers.htm

Sounds like a awesome find to me. I can bring gas detection gear if you let me come along :o)

Sorry, forgot to add – if its military old shit then in may also be covered uner the Commonwealth EPBC Act and may well be known about by DoD who keep registers of all their old abandonned stuff.

Does anyone honestly think this is going to stop PBO and his pals “Urbexing” this “bunker”. Watching too much LOST me thinks?!

Oh – we’re back on the Deaking phone exchange…

BTW, there are a few bunkers clearly visible from the road to Goulburn near the railway line. Also clearly open…

The old bunkers “chocas with old gear” thing is, as far as I know an urban myth. Happy to be proved wrong.

From memory there was a link on this very site to a website that listed such things

Just so everyone knows, it is private property and we have complete permission to be there.
Peterh:
The structure is about 5 ft thick reinforced concrete and it is 4 ft underground. The entrance has been backfilled and we seriously doubt that it has Ordnance in it as it is well ventilated (two small chimmneys) and the Canberra region was mainly a transport facility in WW2 (Thats why there were 40 Dakota transport planes based at Fairbairn until well after the war). The double doorway that we are in the process of opening is about 10ft high and 8ft across. The whole deal screams old comms centre.

PBO property law aside, if the place is old you’d also be in breach of heritage legislation (either here in the ACT or NSW depending on where it is). Generally all old stuff that isn’t widely known about is given blanket protection under the relevant ACT and NSW legislation. Also, just because it appears to be abandonned, lost or forgotten, dosn’t mean that no one else knows about its existence. my advice – do some further research and proceed with caution.

get hold of some gas test equipment, co2, hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg gas).. don’t assume you’ll be able to smell/tell what is/isn’t in there before it’s too late.

Peterh, where do you cave?

I only manage to get out to Bungongia and Wee J every now and then (quite some time ago now I think of it)

I guess what im asking is if there are any caves in or around canberra that are worth a look at for an intermediate caver with the right gear?

I have done my fair share of exploring too, but never pried a lock off when there were far more intersting places around if you knew where to look (or non-destructive ways of getting in). 😛

I think people have covered the legalities, ie it all depends who owns the land and if you have their permission (discounting the possibility that it is heritage or otherwise a listed structure, but if it was you could look it up. All the bunkers I have found ’round Canberra have been totally open to just walk in (trespass, not B&E), so I am *very* interested in what you have found.

skid, as I have mentioned earlier in this post, the bunker may be closed because it is full of a chemical or ordnance. bunkers are designed to be containers for all sorts of really nasty things.

at no time in my life, have i cracked into any illegal sites (apart from the cotter caves and spelunking is different to urbexing)

stormwater drains were what i used to explore when i was a kid, now i go caving.

Previously when people have gone into private property after getting advice or hints from RiotACT, they follow a certain structure:
there’s a few “Oh, I went out there as a kid” replies.
then a few “now its mostly just used by stoners\junkies” posts,
then a followup “I went out there and discovered there was a shiny new gate” post, or an “I went out there and the owner found me and now I’m up on charges of trespass and twenty years of community vandalism has been blamed on me”…

But lets be explicit here, when you say “We have just found an old bunker… i am not telling where it is (private property), we almost have it open.” you mean your’e almost up to the breaking part of breaking and entering, and want to know about the legalities involved in entering without consent?

By the way, breaking and entering is a crime of illegally entering a residence or other enclosed property using any amount of force. (taking to a cheap lock with freon, pushing on an ajar door, etc)

Entry without force is just trespass, but good luck to your defence team.

PBO, I want in 🙂

If any one has any idea where other tunnels, old bunkers or anything of that nature are in Canberra please let us all know (know ones private property of course)

After the previous RA thread about this kind of thing in Canberra I have been hooked

Cheers

can i just say that if this is a Bunker Bunker, you might like to get the authorities involved in some way, many of the old bunkers around Canberra were used as ordnance stores.

disturbing very old ordnance has a major effect – first, not the least is the creation of a very large crater, which may or may not represent your final moments on this earth. It may also have other nasty components in it, whilst not being able to blow you up, may make you very sick.

additionally, it may not be a bunker at all, but the easiest way to know is if you can provide more info on the door mechanism / structure etc. I don’t want to know where it is, but if you can give me a bit more in the way of what it looks like and the construction, I can find out what it actually is.

If it’s on private property where you don’t have permission to be, just being there is trespassing. If you then open the bunker and remove anything you find there, it’s theft, no matter whether the current owner of the property put it in the bunker or not.

It’s pretty straightforward, I would have thought.

If you do have permission to be on the property, anything you find still belongs to the the person that owns the property, unless you’ve worked out a prior arrangement with the owner.

Thems the legalities as I see it (but admittedly I’m not a lawyer)

Can I play too? Somebody invite me Urbexing!