Bickley Point on Western Australia’s Rottnest Island was the location of two 6 inch coastal defence guns. Its role was as a close defence battery to prevent enemy ships passing through the strategic ‘South Passage’ between Rottnest and Carnac Island to attack Fremantle. It had a secondary role as an ‘Examination Battery’ for the challenging and identification of ships entering Gage Roads. It became operational in 1939 and was an important part of the Fremantle Coastal Defence Fortress.
A remnant of the battery sits today at nearby Kingstown Barracks. The barrel of gun Number 2309, manufacted at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Leeds, which was once part of the armament of the Chatham Class Cruiser HMAS Melbourne.
There is more to come on the Bickley Point Battery, to know more about the ‘Rotto Guns’ you can listen to the story here:
