Archaeology of the Russian Scare: The Port Adelaide Torpedo Station Martin Wimmer by B.A., Assoc. Dip. Bus., B.Arch. A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Archaeology (Honours) Department of Archaeology School of Humanities Flinders University October 2005 Cover Page - aerial photograph of the Port Adelaide Torpedo Station site looking south, 16 January 1937 (Photo: D. Darian Smith, Adelaide; Jan Perry: Private Collection). ii Table of Contents CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii DECLARATION OF CANDIDATE ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS x ABSTRACT xi TABLE OF FIGURES xiii INTRODUCTION 1 Introduction 1 Research questions 1 Summary of thesis chapters 3 Description of study area 4 CHAPTER ONE: LITERATURE REVIEW 5 Introduction 5 The archaeology of the recent past 5 Hybrid studies: maritime and historical archaeology 7 Military site archaeology 8 Cultural heritage management (CHM) approaches to 11 military site archaeology Thematic models of heritage classification: Australia 12 and England Garden and botanical studies 14 Previous archaeological investigation of Australian 16 colonial torpedo stations iii Previous archaeological investigation of the Port 16 Adelaide Torpedo Station Conclusion 17 CHAPTER TWO: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 18 Introduction 18 First landfall 18 The naval store 19 The ‘Russian Scare’ 20 The Jervois plan 21 The Torpedo Station 21 Abandonment 23 Conclusion 24 CHAPTER THREE: METHOD 25 Introduction 25 Methodological techniques employed 25 Historical and archival research 26 Expert advice 28 Pre-disturbance survey 29 Minor site disturbance 37 Overlaying aerial photographs 37 Conclusion 38 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS 40 Introduction 40 Black beacon 40 Artificial harbour 42 Magnetometer survey of artificial harbour 42 iv Artificial sea wall 44 Main track and associated structures 46 Torpedo boat shed and filling shed 53 Perry’s Creek 53 Exotic vegetation 55 Conclusion 60 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION 61 Introduction 61 The sum of all fears 62 Technology and a shift in defence theory: reasons for 63 abandonment Defining the cultural landscape of the Torpedo Station 66 Specialised experiences of time and place 68 Mode of construction 69 Site formation processes: pre-abandonment 71 Site formation processes: post-abandonment 72 Botanical investigations 78 Further investigations 80 Cultural Heritage Torpedoed 83 Conclusion 83 CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION 85 Introduction: an embarrassment of riches 85 Future archaeological directions: unanswered questions 85 Identifying cultural significance 87 Interpretive potential 89 Conclusion: archaeology as optimism 89 v REFERENCES 91 APPENDICES 98 APPENDIX ONE 98 Certificate of Title (Land Titles Office Adelaide) APPENDIX TWO 99 Treloar and Treloar 2000 transect shown as shaded area and main Torpedo Station track shown as yellow line (Mapland survey 6107: Photo 173) APPENDIX THREE 100 Plan of colonial defences, October 1858 - section showing arcs of fire from proposed forts (Torpedo Station site circled in red) (Private Collection: Jan Perry) APPENDIX FOUR 101 Winton survey: 28 April 1938 (ruins and old gun circled in red) (Land Titles Office 1938) APPENDIX FIVE 102 Total station survey of cultural material associated with the Port Adelaide Torpedo Station (Mapland survey 6107: Photo 173) APPENDIX SIX 103 Chart of Torpedo Station showing artificial bay, jetty and moorings (Drawing No. 4322/17: nd.) APPENDIX SEVEN 104 Magnetometer survey of artificial harbour overlaid on aerial photograph of Torpedo Station site. vi (Image courtesy of Ian Moffat, Ecophyte Technologies Pty Ltd and Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide; Mapland survey 6107: Photo 173) APPENDIX EIGHT 105 Magnetometer survey of artificial harbour: overlaid transects depict collection bias of significant readings (Image courtesy of Ian Moffat, Ecophyte Technologies Pty Ltd and Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide) APPENDIX NINE 106 1954 Aerial photograph of Torpedo Station site depicting structures in artificial harbour (Mapland Survey 153: Photo 7893) APPENDIX TEN 107 Old bricks now a part of the artificial sea wall APPENDIX ELEVEN 109 Aerial photograph showing extent of high water, 4 November 1954 (Mapland survey 149: Photo 6864) APPENDIX TWELVE 110 Total station survey of stormwater inspection points overlaid on Aerial photograph of Perry’s Creek (Mapland survey 153: Photo 7893) APPENDIX THIRTEEN 111 Brief description of Torpedo Station, no date (Private Collection: Jan Perry) vii Acknowledgements As with any voluminous work, there are volumes of individuals to thank. The following typology is presented in no particular stratigraphy – Civilian Cheryl Ahrens – moral support; Anna Wimmer - therapy; Oma and Opa – baby sitting; Jan Perry – archival material/ field work. Archaeological Mark Staniforth – supervision/ field work; John Schofield – recent military sites (UK); Terry Arnott – South Australian maritime heritage; Nathan Richards – South Australian maritime heritage; Tim Smith – New South Wales maritime heritage; Mike Nash – Tasmanian maritime heritage; Cassandra Philippou – Victorian maritime heritage; Paddy Waterson – Queensland maritime heritage; Denis Gojak – colonial defences; Peter Bell – old bricks; Joe Flatman - field work; Matt Schlitz – technical assistance/ field work; Rick Bullers – field work/ wood analysis; Mathew Matikian – IT/ field work; Linda Honey – field work; Debra Shefi – field work/ photography; Amanda Hale – field work. Geophysical Ian Moffat - magnetometer survey/ imaging. Botanical John Sandham – plant characteristics; Dave Hemmings – plant identification. viii ___________________________________________________________________ Declaration of Candidate I certify that this thesis does not incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university; and that to the best of my knowledge and belief it does not contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text. Martin Wimmer 21.10.05 ___________________________________________________________________ ix List of Abbreviations CHM Cultural Heritage Management CPO Chief Petty Officer DEH Department for Environment and Heritage GPS Global Positioning System HMCS Her Majesty’s Colonial Ship HMVS Her Majesty’s Victorian Ship LMC Land Management Corporation LTO Land Titles Office LWST Low Water Spring Tides MPP Monuments Protection Program NAA National Archives of Australia NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service OHWM Ordinary High Water Mark TB Torpedo Boat TLP Thematic Listing Program WAC World Archaeological Congress x