This weekend I went and visited Malabar bunkers. I wanted to get out there after reading about the governments plan to bulldoze the site and build McMansions. The site contains one of the largest bunkers, towering about four stories tall. It also boasts its own small tram line that was used to move ammunition around the site.

﻿

Speaking of Ammunition, it’s actually a dangerous site to visit here on account of the Rifle range. Despite having hours advertised on their website, this range seems to be constantly open and when these guys are shooting, the entire headland is closed. This was my second attempt to get access to the headland only to be stopped by some shirtless teenage security guards telling us we couldn’t get up to the bunkers. So we just went around the bottom of the headland via the shore exposed by the low tide as it seem scores of other people where doing the same.

The first bunker we found was the spotlight nest. This is just a small structure stitting on the cliff above the ocean. Behind it, about 200 meters away is the machine room that supplied power to the lamp.

You can see the engine room to the right in this photo. To the left in the background is the huge bunker in the background.

Getting up close with the machine room.

From here we tried to find a way to the big bunker without walking into the firing range. On the way across the head we were treated to some pretty views of Sydney.

Enhance!

Eventually we just made our own way by bush bashing through the scrub. For the non-Australians. That means making our own trail there.

This bunker is MASSIVE.

Unfortunately it was also sealed up tight. Metal had been welded across all openings. Usually they are just locked doors. But they are not messing around here. These bunkers are sealed to keep everyone out.

Around the bottom of the bunker you find the old tram track. This goes through the tunnel shown below.

When we jumped down into the tunnel we were surprised to find a whole bunch of rooms. Again, all tightly sealed off. But we could stick our cameras in for some shots.

This door leads up into the masive bunker. Again. No access 🙁



We then followed the tram line out to the two massive gun emplacements. The tram tracks resembles more of a creek these days.



Half way along a lone room sits with its doors open.

At the end of the track we found the door to the gun emplacements were blocked.

These two tunnels go to the guns. One for each.

The entire area was littered with sealed hatches like this.

We ended up walking through the bush to the first gun emplacement.

Lots of graffiti and again, a sealed door.



The second gun emplacement we struck gold. Someone had cut a small hole into the door and we were able to get in.

Down there we found lots and lots of garbage.

The old tracks.

The tunnel leading back to the sealed door and the tunnel to the other gun emplacement.

The corridor was lined with many small and empty rooms. Here are a few shots of these.





The main door back to the tram tracks.

Looking up the second tunnel to the first gun emplacement.



This is the ammo store. They obviously get a lot of water in them. On our visit it wasn’t too bad. But it was muddy, slippery and stinky.



Another hatch. This time we could open it.

It was just full of rubbish.

Be warned these places are full of nasty. This rusted metal spike was discovered poking up through the dirt next to the track.

So there you have it. Malabar bunkers. An interesting place but one that doesn’t let you explore much. Apart from everything being sealed, you have the gun range to worry about and lots of hidden nasties that are ready to hurt you. Not only from inch thick rusty spikes sticking up from the ground. But the locals have trashed the place and its covered in rusted metal, spray cans, syringes and tonnes of broken glass. But if they cleaned this place up, it could actually be awesome. I dare say the view from in the massive bunker would be amazing.