Fort Lytton National Park

Fort Lytton National Park is a nineteenth century coastal garrison near the Brisbane River mouth. It offers guided tours and living history reinactments. Also of interest are the resorted guns and the museum. Regarded as an important step in Queensland's military history, Fort Lytton was built in 1880 - 81 to protect the city of Brisbane from naval invasion. At the time, Brisbane was home to about 100 000 people and handled an annual trade worth more than four million pounds. Fort Lytton was one of a string of coastal garrisons built around Australia in the 19th century. Today, it is one of the best preserved examples. The fort is a classic example of a pentagon-shaped fort surrounded by a water-filled moat. Many of the Fort's guns have been restored to working order, including the so-called disappearing gun which could be raised to fire over the fort's ramparts, then lowered again. The original 64-pounders are fired on ceremonial occasions.