Fort Largs Police Academy
Encyclopedia
Fort Largs is historic defence facility in the seaside suburb of Taperoo
near Port Adelaide
, approximately 18 km (11.2 mi) north west of Adelaide
's centre. Today Fort Largs survives in greatly modified condition from its original state. It was converted for use by the South Australia Police academy and is now known as Fort Largs Police Academy, the main training facility for South Australia Police
. It is adjacent to Roy Marten Reserve, the primary recreational park in Taperoo.
into India
, and the Australian colonies were advised to upgrade their defence capabilities. The inadequacy of defences in the colony was seen in 1862, when the Svetlana sailed into Port Phillip Bay (Melbourne) and the fort built had no gunpowder for its cannons to use to return a salute. William Jervois
, a Royal Engineer, was commissioned to determine the defence capabilities of all colonies, with the exception of Western Australia
. In his report, he was convinced that the Russian Empire would attack South Australian shipping in an attempt to destroy the local economy. As a result of Jervois' report, Fort Glanville and Fort Largs were built to protect Port Adelaide
.
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley
was primarily responsible for the design of both Fort Largs and its nearby precursor Fort Glanville. Work began in 1882 on what was first known as the Port Adelaide battery, to the same specification as Fort Glanville. Its barracks and rear defence wall were finished in 1885. Emphasis for defence of the Adelaide coast had shifted to Fort Largs by 1888. In 1889, Fort Largs was equipped with two 6-inch breach-loading disappearing guns which outranged Glanville's armament. Due to this and changes in the Port River and shipping movements, Fort Largs had surpassed Fort Glanville in strategic importance by 1890.
Taperoo, South Australia
Taperoo is a north-western suburb of Adelaide 18km from the CBD, on the LeFevre Peninsula in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Osborne and Largs North...
near Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
, approximately 18 km (11.2 mi) north west of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
's centre. Today Fort Largs survives in greatly modified condition from its original state. It was converted for use by the South Australia Police academy and is now known as Fort Largs Police Academy, the main training facility for South Australia Police
South Australia Police
The South Australia Police is the police force of the Australian state of South Australia. It is an agency of the Government of South Australia within the South Australian Department of Justice.-History:...
. It is adjacent to Roy Marten Reserve, the primary recreational park in Taperoo.
History
In the late 1800s, visits of Russian ships in South Australian waters were of a friendly nature, but the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 was seen by Britain as part of a potential expansion plan by the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
into India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and the Australian colonies were advised to upgrade their defence capabilities. The inadequacy of defences in the colony was seen in 1862, when the Svetlana sailed into Port Phillip Bay (Melbourne) and the fort built had no gunpowder for its cannons to use to return a salute. William Jervois
William Jervois
Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois, GCMG, CB was a British military engineer who saw service, as Second Captain, in South Africa...
, a Royal Engineer, was commissioned to determine the defence capabilities of all colonies, with the exception of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. In his report, he was convinced that the Russian Empire would attack South Australian shipping in an attempt to destroy the local economy. As a result of Jervois' report, Fort Glanville and Fort Largs were built to protect Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
.
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley
Peter Scratchley
Sir Peter Henry Scratchley K.C.M.G. was special commissioner for Great Britain in New Guinea 1884-1885 and defence adviser for Australia....
was primarily responsible for the design of both Fort Largs and its nearby precursor Fort Glanville. Work began in 1882 on what was first known as the Port Adelaide battery, to the same specification as Fort Glanville. Its barracks and rear defence wall were finished in 1885. Emphasis for defence of the Adelaide coast had shifted to Fort Largs by 1888. In 1889, Fort Largs was equipped with two 6-inch breach-loading disappearing guns which outranged Glanville's armament. Due to this and changes in the Port River and shipping movements, Fort Largs had surpassed Fort Glanville in strategic importance by 1890.