POSSIBLE WWII BOMB DUMP
WHERE THE NORLINE DRIVE-IN WAS LATER BUILT
IN TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

Whilst a contractor working for the Townsville City Council was setting off the explosives near the Norline Drive-in site in about 1972-1973 for a new rising main trench going through that area, their explosives set off something else buried in that area. The fragments recovered after the explosion suggested it was possibly a 500 lb bomb. It was a very large explosion and made a mess of the trench and some nearby fresh concrete. It also threw some debris as far as the main hangar at the Garbutt Airfield, some 2.4 kilometres away. Quite an explosion! The RAAF base crew when advised were not happy little lads!

The Norline Drive-in at 563 Ingham Road opened in September 1957. The site was being used by North Queensland Demolition Recycling in later years.

Other 500 lb HE bombs were found and were detonated on site. See photos below.

Photo taken 24 April 1944. The raised area in centre of
 the above photo was the site of a possible bomb dump

The other area towards the left of the above photograph was 393 Australian Heavy Anti-aircraft Gun Station of the 16 Australian Heavy Anti-aircraft Battery on Mount St. John. Further to the left, just off the photo was the Mount St. John Zoo started by St. John Robinson in 1932.

The same area in 1965 showing the Norline Drive-in
which I attended on many occasions in the 1960's

Detonating 500 lb bombs discovered
during excavation for a rising main trench

Detonating 500 lb bombs discovered during excavation for a rising
 main trench. Note the large blast mats thrown into the air.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Kevin Parkes for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 23 June 2017

This page last updated 04 March 2020