Abandoned Oz - Sydney’s Beehive Casemate - 1800’s Fortification
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- Abandoned Oz
Sydney’s Beehive Casemate, Obelisk Bay - Sydney Harbour.
Construction of this fortification began in 1871 and was completed in 1874.
The fort was constructed under the supervision of colonial architect James Barnet. The underground casemate was one of the first to be locally designed and built after the withdrawal of British troops in 1870 and the Cardwell Reforms/ The fortification contains three domed chambers that were used as gun emplacements. Each chamber had a small opening or window for the gun to fire through with each window looking out towards the Sydney Heads. The underground chambers were made of brick and mortar and were built into the excavated cavities in the sandstone bedrock. They were intended to fire on enemy ships as they navigated the passages around Sow and Pigs Reef, within the entrance to Sydney Harbour.
#urbanexploration #urbex #travel
Hi Phil, you always cover nice areas and I have watched most of your videos.
Since you are in my backyard, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share some info 😃
The Beehive Casemate is the underground structure you walked right past of in the beginning of the video. It consists of 3 giant domes burried underground and the entrance is a staircase that's located right behind the sign you walked past in the first few seconds of your video.
The second structure you encountered is the Armoured Casemate. It has just two main entrances, one at each side of the long corridor that's roughly parallel to the main road. It's where your thumbnail picture was taken, note the armoured ceilings.
The movie Stone was shot in part in the Beehive Casemate and also in the Middle Head fortifications.
The structure you went into, that curves to the right and under itself is actually something I have been seeking access to for a while. Not many people know this, but that "disappointing" nook you discovered where you thought someone was breathing is actually an entrance to a long forgotten underground tunnel that sarts with a vetical drop. There is a metal plate on the floor in that nook and if opened, you could get all the way down through the cut rock into a hidden tunnel with access to the underground underwater (flooded) exiit to the ocean. There is a way to get down there from the other side of the tower you have come across as well. The small gate that opens up the path down the rocky slopes to the cliffs at the bottom.
The tower and fortification you came to in the end of the video was recently "upgraded" by council. They installed those mesh floors and cleaned few things up. There are multiple entrances to the bunkers underneath that structure from around the bushland. They are not immediately obvious but can be found if you know to look 😄
Bonus info: there is a very similar tower and fortification structure to the one you encountered in the end of the video near the Obelisk beach. To give you hint I will say - look for the two obleisk that mark the start and end end of the Obelisk Bay. One is in the middle of bushland and can be gotten to from the Burnt Orange car park. The other is right next to the other tower and fortification.
Extended bonus info: If you do find the other tower, it's worth (carefully) getting down the rocks and exploring that area at the bottom of the rocks in low tide. There are a few rarely seen fortification cut into stone at the eastern end of the flat rock.
PS: Had a chance to watch till the end now, glad you discovered the path down the rocks, and that slab of concrete that hides a rock cutting that connects the structrue you went into above with the ocean access at the bottom.
Stone is a quirky and significant part of Australia's film heritage. I love it.
Perfect way to spend a rainy Saturday Night here in the Blue Mountains watching your videos. 😊👍🏽
Thank you for watching mate!
Stay warm and dry 😊
Top work, thanks for sharing. Cheers.
Saw pretty much the same a few months ago, plus a few more gun placements. Would love to see a tour.
NPWS have done occasional tours to the Beehive casemates. I remembering doing one. I suspected there was loads more than what we saw though - I don’t recognise much of what you have here.
If you head up the hill to George’s Head Battery there are a lot more tunnels. At least last time I was there they were a lot more open and easy to explore
Phil, you should go to the abandoned campbelltown mall good place to explore
Bummer they are all locked. I've been through all of them many years ago. The older one still has a wooden cradle for a cannon inside.
You should head further up the road to middle head where there is many awesome bunkers with tunnels.
Hopefully soon! :)
I heard on the news a month or two back that there’s hope that the tunnels will open to the public in the future.
I’d be keen to return if that happens! :)
Nice lizard there @ 6:14
Have you gone in the tuggera tunnels near west field
What is the roadway thru the area please .....
Chowder Bay Rd
2 different casemates. The Beehive (lower) 1871 and the Armoured (upper) 1886. Maybe you'll be lucky next time.
Thank you mate! :)
Yes hopefully they’ll be open soon(ish).
I heard on the news a month or two back saying that there’s hope of the ol’ tunnels being open to the public again in the future :)
Spiders? Woos bag …