ANZAC Day was commemorated at the Bunker with a display highlighting the importance of the building in the defence of Coffs Harbour and the Eastern Seaboard during the Second World War.
Now housing the National Cartoon Gallery and the National Holden Motor Museum, the heritage listed Bunker was originally built to house communication equipment during World War II.
Bunker volunteer and spokesperson Steve Little, told News Of The Area that it was built in response to Japan’s first attacks on the Australian mainland in 1942.
Australia was under threat and most of our troops and allies were fighting in other countries and unavailable to help.
Consequently, the Royal Australian Navy warships were called in to escort convoys of supply ships travelling between Newcastle and the Queensland border, with the authority to attack if needed.
Royal Australian Air Force bombers protected these convoys from the air.
The Bunker was constructed in 1942-3 to house Base Operations Unit No.12 in Coffs Harbour for this mission.
The Base was needed to communicate with its aircraft, control area and Command Headquarters.
Radio communication equipment and personnel were of critical importance and were kept safe in the specially constructed underground bunker near the airfield on what is now known as City Hill.
The Bunker continued to be used as a communication facility by the Civil Aviation Authority until 1980.
Dozens of people who visited the Bunker on Anzac Day, were unaware of its history.
“Having an Anzac wreath located in the Bunker’s wartime history area, promoted good interest in [its] role in the war,” Mr Little said.
“At the Bunker, we endeavour to ask where everyone comes from, and to our surprise, we had visitors from Switzerland and England with both groups taking great interest in our Holdens, a car brand they were not familiar with.
“And they loved the latest exhibition of cartoons.”
A few locals visited while most came from Sydney and others came from Armidale, Tamworth and Warwick.
By Andrea FERRARI
