Fort Glanville Conservation Park Fort Glanville Conservation Park is a registered heritage conservation area in Semaphore South , South Australia , a seaside suburb of Adelaide , that incorporates a functional 19th century fort . The fort was built after more than 40 years of indecision over the defence of South Australia . It was the first colonial fortification in the state and is the best preserved and most functional in Australia . Fort Glanville was designed by Governor Major General Sir William Jervois and Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley , both important figures in early Australian colonial defence . When built it was designed to defend both Semaphore ' s anchorage and shipping entering the Port River from naval attack . Construction of the fort began in 1878 . It was officially opened in October 1880 and completed by 1882 . Due to changes in the Port River and shipping movements , Fort Largs surpassed it for strategic importance by 1890 . By the close of the 19th century , the fort was largely unused and had no defence significance . It was briefly used for military purposes during World War I and World War II , though not for its original defensive role . For much of the 20th century the area was put to a variety of uses including accommodation , a caravan park and a boy scout campsite . After coming into state government hands in 1951 it was declared as a conservation park and is now managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service ; preserving and showcasing its historic value . The fort and surrounds occupy the northern half of the conservation park , the southern half is a caravan park . The fort is a lunette shaped defensible battery that was supported by land forces for self - defence . When constructed it was seen as state of the art , incorporating powerful and modern weapons . Its main armament is two rifled muzzle - loading ( RML ) 10 inch 20 ton guns backed up by two RML 64 pounder 64 cwt gun s , both rare in their particular configuration . The fort retains its original 19th century cannons and three have been restored to working condition . Fort Glanville Historical Association operates the park under license and conducts open days in the park , recreating the past operation of the fort including military drill and the firing of period weapons . The Association , park service , other volunteers and various grants have all helped ensure the fort is presented in close to original condition . It is the most complete 19th Century fort in Australia , and one of very few in the world that remains in original condition . Connecting the fort to Semaphore jetty is the " Semaphore and Fort Glanville Tourist Railway " , a gauge passenger steam train operated by volunteers from the National Railway Museum . Historic background . In the early years of colonial South Australia , the colonists saw themselves as part of the British Empire and external defence as an Imperial responsibility . Communication lines were long and the empire ' s wars remote . Great Britain had undisputed military predominance and she was expected by all to protect her colonies , even one as distant . For local defence , Governor Gawler raised the first military force in 1840 , composed solely of volunteers and known as the South Australian Volunteer Militia Brigade . It was granted the " Royal " title in 1841 but the brigade had all but ceased to exist a year later . The colony obtained its first artillery in 1847 with the arrival of six field gun s of various types . Tensions between Britain and the Russian Empire in the 1850s , as starkly demonstrated by the Crimean War , along with Australia - wide moves towards self - government caused a reassessment of the colony ' s defence posture . The various colonies regarded themselves as possible targets for the Russian Pacific Fleet , then based in Siberia . In 1854 , Governor Henry Young appointed a commission under Boyle Travers Finniss to report on the defence of the colony , in case of war . Boyle ' s report recommended leaving strategic defence in the hands of the Imperial Navy , though South Australia was to purchase a 400 ton naval vessel . Local defence was to be largely handled by the existing small Imperial garrison and local colonial force , supported by the artillery obtained in 1847 . When the Crimean War ended in 1856 , the danger passed and the perceived need for expensive defence preparations with it . For many years nothing substantive came about from debate on defence of the colony . Over time there formed a consensus favouring Semaphore for fixed defences or fortification ; a strategy also argued by the government established Hart Commission in 1858 . Raiders were seen as unlikely to force the shallows of the Port River but instead were expected to stand off Semaphore , shell the port and use their guns to support landings . The Hart Report recommended building of martello tower s at Semaphore and Glenelg , the first report to recommend permanent fortification at Semaphore , though none were built mainly due to the cost . The volunteer military force was revived in 1859 , with new and modern arms for the infantry , cavalry and artillery . Though there was a few years of enthusiasm and a restructuring in 1866 , by 1870 the force was virtually disbanded . In that year also , British troops were withdrawn from the other Australian colonies ; none were by then stationed in South Australia . With no definitive defence policy , in 1864 the government had sought advice from Captain Parkin of HMS Falcon and Commodore Sir William Wiseman commander of the Australian station ; both visiting British naval officers . They both recommended fixed fortifications for the coast supported by gunboat s . Sir Wiseman ' s report particularly recommended construction of forts at Semaphore , Port Creek ' s entrance and one midway between . In 1864 a story circulated , supported by press speculation , that there was a danger of the Russian fleet attacking Melbourne should Russia and Britain find themselves at war . The " South Australian Register " produced an editorial decrying the states lack of defences . Within days £20 , 000 ( A $ 4 . 14 million in 2005 ) was provided by the government for defence , an amount then seen as insufficient for significant preparation . The danger passed without any lasting defence action except the government ' s in - principle adoption of Sir Wiseman ' s recommendations . To curtail costs only the Semaphore fort was to be built initially , as it was considered the most critical . Site preparation begun and two guns were purchased , but escalating cost estimates caused the plan to be abandoned by 1868 . During the early 1870s South Australia ' s defence was solely dependant on the volunteer military , and a few artillery pieces purchased during earlier war scares . British troops had been withdrawn from the Australian colonies in 1870 , leaving the state dependant on its own military resources . In a report to the government in 1866 , Colonel Freeling and Major Peter Scratchley recommended establishment of a permanent military force . In 1876 the South Australian government , along with those from New South Wales , Victoria and Queensland requested from the War Office that Major General Sir William Jervois , a noted coastal fortification expert , be appointed to advise on defence needs . He arrived in Sydney in mid - 1877 with then Lieutenant Colonel Scratchley . The 1877 report , delivered after he became South Australian Governor , called for three batteries , at Largs Bay , Semaphore and Glenelg , connected by a military road and supported by field gun emplacements , naval elements and mobile forces . He determined that South Australia ' s most probable defence risk was an attack by up to two ships rather than a larger force , and this formed the basis of the final fortification design . His report called for Military Road to be extended to Marino , an electro - contact torpedo station be established on Torrens Island and that a gun boat be provided . In November 1878 the government passed the Military Forces Act , which provided for the raising of a permanent military force and reserve . Two volunteer reserve rifle companies were formed in 1878 and a permanent artillery unit in 1882 . At this time Semaphore , with its jetty built in 1860 , was the state ' s main entry point for passengers and mail . It had a signal station ( built 1872 ) and a time ball tower ( built 1875 ) . Semaphore remained of great maritime significance for the state until the 1880s . When the decision was made to build the fort , in 1878 , the state ' s population had reached approximately 250 , 000 . Settlement extended beyond Port Augusta , though Adelaide remained the dominant feature in the economy partly due to the layout of the rail network . At this point Adelaide had a population of over 30 , 000 . Port Adelaide was the main port for South Australia , with over 1000 ships visiting each year , and a local population of over 2 , 500 . Foundation . Scratchley had inspected the proposed South Australian fort sites , and Jervois and Scratchley were both responsible for the final fort design and location . The first fort was erected to guard both the entrance to Port Adelaide and the anchorage at Semaphore . It was built on sandhills near Glanville Hall at Semaphore , on a promontory called " Point Malcom " — a name that is now used for an adjacent reserve . The site was chosen so as to best guard shipping sailing to both the Port River and the Outer Harbour ; and a second northern fort was to protect the entrance to Port River itself . At the time of its construction it was seen as a defence against foreign threats , mainly Russia n . Scratchley had offered to design the battery , the offer accepted by Cabinet in January 1878 , and he was primarily responsible for the design of both Fort Glanville and Fort Largs . The plans were drawn by Alexander Bain Moncrieff of the South Australian Engineer - in - Chief ' s Department , supervised by Scratchley in his Melbourne headquarters . Moncrieff , at Scratchley ' s suggestion , was later to supervise the fort ' s construction . Plans for both batteries were completed in June 1878 , tenders called for in July and the contract for Fort Glanville awarded in August to John Robb of Kapunda , South Australia for the sum of £15 , 893 12s 7d . Construction began in 1878 and though completed by 1882 the fort was operational in 1880 . Changes were made to the design during construction . Some forced by armament changes and others made to ensure additional security , including a rear - defence wall and connecting road from Military Road . By January 1880 two guns were in place and the fort opened later the same year with an extensive opening ceremony on 2 October . In addition to parades , a small target was moored offshore and fired on by all guns . A total of sixteen shots were fired during which one of the ten inch guns proved faulty . Only one ranging shot was fired and the shots were estimated to land from on - target to 350 yards short . The fort ' s final cost was approximately £36 , 000 ( A $ 7 . 05 million in 2005 ) consisting of £23 , 600 for physical structures and the remainder for armament and fittings . At the time of its construction it was at the forefront of such fortification design , and was considered state of the art . When first conceived , it was known as the Semaphore Battery , later changed to South Battery and then Fort Glanville by the opening ceremony . The name Glanville came from nearby Glanville Hall , residence of John Hart ( 1809 – 1873 ) thrice Premier of South Australia . Hart had named the house after his mother ' s maiden name ( Mary Glanville ) . Personnel . For the eighteen months after its opening , the fort was manned by B company of the South Australian Volunteer Artillery but only on weekends . This changed in mid - 1882 when South Australia ' s first permanent military force was formed . The fort became the headquarters for the South Australian Permanent Military Force , then the state ' s entire standing army of one officer and eighteen other ranks . Some of the unit was stationed at nearby Fort Largs from 1886 ; and , by 1889 the unit had grown to one officer and 45 other ranks . This force grew to 53 of all ranks by 1892 and was by then known as the Permanent Artillery . The unit trained 27 more non - commissioned officer s and men who were sent to man the King George Sound batteries near Albany , Western Australia . Though some of the gunners served in the Second Boer War , the unit itself never saw action . Fort Glanville ' s section was called out in 1890 , marching to assist the police with a waterside worker ' s strike in Port Adelaide . In this case no shots were fired and the strikers did not confront the police or troops . Additional defence acts were passed in 1886 , 1890 and 1895 but , until defence passed into federal hands after 1901 , the state ' s permanent military force was composed solely of artillery . Shortly after the federation of Australia , a regiment of the Royal Australian Artillery ( RAA ) was formed and what had been the Permanent Artillery became No . 10 company RAA . The fort was manned to an extent during World War I , with one non - commissioned officer and 11 gunners stationed as of November 1914 . Military reports and orders show the fort manned to at least mid - 1918 , though at this point it is doubtful if the guns were fit to engage targets . There is little in the way of surviving personnel records from the fort ' s active time . They may have either been destroyed or transferred to Melbourne after federation . The fort ' s record book shows it manned by a section of either the Royal Australian Artillery or B Company of the militia garrison artillery . For the time covered by the book , strength varied from 56 to 108 men of all ranks . Two figures who served at the fort are remembered for their impact outside its operation : Structure . The fort is designed as a defensible battery , rather than a defensive strongpoint . The faces of the fort join to form a half - moon shape or lunette . The guns ' primary role was to defend Port Adelaide and the Semaphore anchorage rather than the fort itself , and the design reflects this . It was intended to be supported by field artillery , cavalry and infantry for self - defence and to repel landings . While the fort retains its original form , the ditch and glacis ( embankment ) have been modified and are largely non - existent in some areas . Ground levels have been changed to accommodate paths and a caravan park , and the original western fence no longer exists . The entrance road was constructed from Military Road to the fort ' s rear gates . Its path is largely followed by the modern Queen Elizabeth II walk , though the former road was slightly to the south . This walk links the conservation park ' s visitor centre to the fort gates ; some of the old road can still be seen close to the gates . What was the muster ground is partly taken up by the caravan and camping park and a car park . It was levelled and filled in the 1950s for this use . What remains of this ground , north of the caravan park , was returned to its 1880s profile in 1993 funded by a Federal Government grant . In the 19th century , the muster ground was used for training of the Volunteer Military Force including artillery , who camped on the site . As designed the fort ' s rear was protected with a wooden palisade or stockade . In 1881 a masonry wall was added , greatly strengthening defence . Most of the stockade was reconstructed in the 1970s ; some of the original wooden structure is visible in the fort ' s north . Fortification . The main defensive structure is a revetted lunette shaped earthwork . It has a thick rampart with of concrete and of brick forming a retaining wall for the earth fill . The rampart is covered by natural vegetation and , in both the 19th and 21st century operation , is closed to access to preserve this . The glacis gives extra protection to the fort and was designed to blend the fort into the landscape . It surrounded the fort on the north , south and seaward sides and was made by forming the surrounding sandhill s . The side facing the fort — the scarp — is steep and , with the front face of the rampart , forms a wide ditch that can be raked by rifle fire from the caponier or the stockade ' s sides . The outer face is a gentle slope and is designed to be covered by case shot fired from the fort ' s 64 - pounder guns . The southern glacis section was removed during sand mining and construction of the caravan park , both after World War II . The western glacis is changed , but still visible , and the northern glacis was recreated in 1993 — showcasing the purpose of the glacis and the function of the caponier . Access to the fort is via double gates at the fort ' s rear , one each through the stockade and the rear defence wall . Both gates were removed or destroyed over time and the 21st century gates are reconstructions . The formal parade ground or manning parade lies between the rear walls and barracks , and the raised terreplein . It was formerly used for drill training , assembly and formal parades . First gravelled when constructed , it was paved with tar in the 1890s to solve drainage problems . Around the seaward side of the manning parade runs the terreplein . It is a raised crescent shaped level on which the guns platforms sit , and is ascended from the manning parade by ramps and stairs . After numerous proposals the sand hills rear and north of the fort were removed in 1882 , improving the fort ' s land defence and allowing the 64 - pounder guns to sweep the Semaphore jetty . This now levelled area was used as a bivouac and exercise area for the colony ' s volunteer troops . A stable , office , shed and gunner ' s store were also erected north of the fort . The gunner ' s shed was damaged by fire in 1895 and replaced further eastward . These buildings did not survive into the 21st century . Internal rooms . On either side of the terreplein , wide of the 64 - pound guns , are two small rooms known as the expense stores . They were used for ready - to - use ammunition for the adjacent guns , except for armour piercing shells which were stored in the rear - defence wall ' s archways . Between the 64 - pounders and the 10 " gun positions are two raised observation platforms set into the structure for gun commanders to spot the fall of outgoing shells . Ranging was either performed from here or from a ranging position set in the sand hills to the fort ' s north . Between the 10 " guns is a T - shaped loading gallery that draws shells and gunpowder via a hoist system from the magazine below . Either side of the gallery was installed the Armstrong mechanical loading systems for the 10 " guns . These mechanical systems proved unsuccessful and were removed in the 1890s , though the southern one has been reconstructed . The magazine is accessed from the manning parade and is directly beneath the 10 " gun loading gallery . Voice pipes and hoists originally installed have been removed but their remains are visible . The caponier ( rifle gallery ) extends into the ditch between the rampart and glacis from the fort ' s north west corner . It is connected to the fort via a tunnel , running under the rampart from the manning parade . For blast protection and defensibility the tunnel was built with a dogleg . The caponier has rifle firing ports and was originally protected from direct artillery fire by the glacis . Early plans showed the caponier extending from the fort ' s south west , and a tunnel linking the magazine and southern guns . Buildings . The barracks consists of two levels , with rifle firing holes on all sides . Iron shutters closed on the inside and were locked with wooden beams . In 1885 the verandah facing the manning parade was enclosed with wooden shutters to keep the weather out . These shutters were removed during 20th - century restoration work and the verandah returned to original condition . The roof was at first flat timber overlaid by of lime concrete . This first roof leaked and an iron roof was added in 1885 . The first floor of the barracks contains the officer ' s rooms and troop ' s barracks room . Its eastern ( outer ) wall is not flat , incorporating a design feature known as " hornwork " , which opens the field of fire from the rifle holes . Some of the firing holes were bricked in during the 1930s ; this has been only partly rectified during restoration . The basement contains the gunner ' s mess , canteen , No . 1 ancillary store , pantry and officer ' s kitchen . The canteen sold everyday necessities as well as a few items like biscuits , sweets and tobacco to the stationed troops . Profits from the canteen were used to fund sporting equipment for the garrison . The No . 1 ancillary store was used for various pieces of delicate equipment , fuses , friction tubes and rockets . In 1887 an explosion in the room caused a number of injuries , damage to the store and to the above officer ' s quarters . The barracks room and officer ' s quarters are connected with a door , probably added in the 1930s as it is not part of the original plans . The barracks room accommodated approximately 20 men . For display purposes it is outfitted as for similar period barracks . A laboratory is built into the rear wall , on the forts southern side . This room is set into the end of the rampart and was used to prepare gunpowder charges . A guardhouse was built at the manning parade ' s southern end in 1885 . It is now used as a duty room for the drill squad during recreation demonstrations but originally was a guard ' s room and separate cells connected by telephone to Fort Largs . Up to three men appear to have been accommodated in the guard ' s room . When the fort was converted to use as a caravan park the guard house was converted to an ablution block . A store and ablution block were also built in 1885 between the stockade and rear defence wall . Armament . Early plans for the fort ' s armament were drawn up by Harding Stewart of the British War Office . They called for four rifled muzzle loading ( RML ) guns , two mounted in turret s and two behind vertical iron shields . This configuration of siege artillery had not been tried before and the plan was abandoned due to the large expected cost . Two of the 9 in guns had been in South Australia since c . 1868 after a Colonial Government request , but were not used in the eventual fort design . The final Jervois / Scratchley design omitted the turret and iron shields . 64 - pounder RML guns were substituted for two of the 9 in guns and 10 in 20 ton RML guns for the remaining two . The 20 ton guns were chosen over the then standard 18 ton gun by Jervois after he saw the plans in England , the decision influenced by the then fully committed nature of the Royal Arsenal . Jervois had originally ordered the 18 ton guns but cancelled the order and changed to the Armstrong 20 ton when the arsenal was unable fulfil the order . He also ordered Armstrong ' s mechanical loading and protected barbette system for the 20 ton guns . This original battery of four heavy guns remains in place at the fort . 10 inch RML guns . The fort ' s main armament were the two RML 10 inch 20 ton guns — Numbers 3470 and 3472 . They were manufactured in 1879 by WG Armstrong and Company and originally used the Armstrong protected barbette loading system . They were made to the 1878 pattern and supplied on traversing slides . The guns have a calibre , a range of with a muzzle velocity of and are capable of penetrating of iron at . They fire projectiles using a gunpowder cartridge . Though they were insufficient against contemporary battleship s , they were seen as adequate for the light cruiser s that the fort was expected to face . The carriages weighed and moved on semi - circular traverses . The guns were loaded either manually — using the Woolwich ( derrick ) system — or via the Armstrong mechanical loader . The Armstrong system enabled loading of the guns from behind the protection of the rampart whereas the manual system required at least two crew to be exposed on the rampart ' s top . Despite this the guns were manually loaded for most of the their operational life as the Armstrong cable drive was faulty and too difficult to maintain . The guns had a 14 - man crew and loading took about 2 minutes , a rate of fire that was only slightly faster using the Armstrong equipment . By 1902 the guns had together fired 219 rounds , though not all at full charge with the records showing only 125 effective full charge s . The platforms and traverses were scrapped in 1937 but the gun barrels were uneconomic to cut up and were left in place . One gun platform and its equipment was rebuilt in 1997 using money raised by Fort Glanville Historical Association volunteers working at the Australian Grand Prix . 64 pounder RML guns . In the flank barbettes are mounted two mark III RML 64 pounder 64 cwt gun s , numbers 462 and 463 . They are rifled muzzle loading heavy guns weighing with a calibre steel barrel . They were made to the model ' s 1867 pattern by the Royal Arsenal , Woolwich , England in 1872 . Their intended use was to protect the flanks and approaches to the fort . These smaller guns use an charge of gunpowder to send a projectile up to . There are iron rings fixed in the rampart wall that indicate traversing gun carriages were intended to be mounted , though this never eventuated . The guns were supplied with siege over - bank carriages . The lower carriage sections are the type made for the guns when used as field pieces and the upper sections are brackets that raise the guns to the over - bank firing position . In this particular configuration the two guns are thought to be the last in the world . By the end of their active use in 1902 together they had fired 1540 rounds in practice , though not all at full power as they are recorded as firing under 300 effective full charges . By then the wheels were significantly rotted and the ammunition limbers had become unserviceable . Less wheels , the guns were removed from the fort in 1909 ; Adelaide ' s city council then set them in Brougham Gardens , North Adelaide . Both were returned to the fort in 1976 and remounted on restored carriages of the original design . They are the only two guns of their type remaining in Australia . The southern gun ( Number 463 ) fired three blank charges in 1980 to mark the centenary of the first firing at the fort . This same gun is fired regularly by the volunteers of the Fort Glanville Historical Association ( FGHA ) . Both types of heavy guns used where the only ones of their specific series and type to come to Australia . Though they were never fired in anger , the battery is only above mean sea level which would have limited the accuracy of the mark III depression rangefinder s used . Other weaponry . Prior to 1895 two breech - loading guns had been imported for use in small boats . This use was rejected by military authorities and the guns sat unused . In 1895 the South Australian Defence Committee proposed that the guns be mounted at Fort Glanville , replacing the 64 - pounders whose siege carriages were then unfit for service . This proposal would have greatly extended the useful life of the fort , at little cost . The two military branches , army and navy , could not reach agreement and the proposal was abandoned by 1897 . The gun ' s eventual fate is unknown , though a gun found in the Port River later indicates they may have been dumped . Gun emplacements were made , about a mile apart south of the fort , for six 16 - pounder field guns to provide close defence in case of an attempted beach landing . From 1890 the fort was equipped with moveable armament . It received an 1867 Whitworth 12 - pounder RML field gun and a 5 - barrel 0 . 45 " Martini - henry cartridge firing Nordenfelt gun . The 12 - pounder had fired 222 effective full charges by 1902 ; at which time both weapons were obsolete and their eventual fate is unknown . A 32 - pounder smoothbore gun on a stepped wooden carriage was purchased in 1878 . Manufactured by the Royal Arsenal in 1806 , it was the familiar " ships cannon " and came to South Australia with two other identical guns . By 1902 no ammunition was held for it and it was listed as " for instruction only " . The gun was probably destroyed in the 1930s — certainly by the end of the 1940s — with pieces of such a gun found on site in 1983 . In the late 20th century the fort acquired three 16 - pounder RML mark I field guns . They were formerly used by A battery , South Australian Volunteer Artillery from 1880 until 1901 . Gun number 288 is complete and used for blank firings by the Historical Association . Also acquired is a 2 - pounder RML Whitworth mountain gun made in 1867 . It was also used by A Battery , subsequently by Fort Largs as a signal gun . It is one of only two of this type known to exist , the other in the United Kingdom . The visitors centre has two 9 - pounder brass smoothbore field guns made by H & C King in 1819 . They arrived in South Australia in 1857 and were used for practice shoots near the fort c . 1860 ; one is known to have been on the manning parade in 1890 though its use is unknown . They later became saluting guns at Fort Largs , moving by 1919 to near the Jervois Wing of the State Library of South Australia . The Art Gallery of South Australia saved them from a 1941 wartime scrap drive and mounted them on reproduction naval carriages in front of Government House in 1962 . The gallery took them back in late 1977 and transferred them to the History Trust of South Australia in 1988 . The History Trust has loaned them to Fort Glanville for display . Outside the visitor ' s centre is a breech - loading Armstrong gun ( No . 4242 ) that was made in 1884 and used in Victoria . The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation ( CSIRO ) brought it to the state in 1966 for research , subsequently moving it to Perry Engineering at Mile End . In 1984 the CSIRO donated the gun to the park . Defence significance . Work began in 1882 on Fort Glanville ' s northern sister Fort Largs — then known as the Port Adelaide battery — to the same specification as Fort Glanville ; its barracks and rear defence wall were finished in 1885 . Though guns had already been purchased specially , plans for the third fort at Glenelg were not proceeded with . South Australia was experiencing a depression in 1886 and that coupled with a report by General James Bevan Edwards scuttled plans for the third coastal fort . As early as 1888 the emphasis for defence of the Adelaide coast had already shifted to Fort Largs ; a fact cited as part of the reason for abandonment of the Glenelg fortifications . From this point Fort Glanville ' s significance declined rapidly . Fort Largs was equipped in 1889 with two 6 inch breech - loading disappearing gun s which outranged Glanville ' s armament . The decline was also linked to changes in Port Adelaide ' s maritime facilities and the consequent northward movement of anchored and berthed vessels . During the 1880s the Port River was deepened enabling large ships to sail up and berth , rather than the former practice of anchoring off - shore . The fort remained as headquarters of South Australia ' s permanent military force until the 1890s and as late as 1895 there were still plans to upgrade the 64 - pounder armament , though without result . By 1901 the fort was manned on a caretaker basis only and no permanent forces were stationed . The Federal Government assumed responsibility for South Australian defence in 1903 and took over the fort . Though Glanville by then had no significant defence role , the state received £14 , 739 in compensation . From that point its significance was not defence related but as the first and best preserved 19th - century fortification in South Australia . 20th century . At Federation in 1901 South Australia ' s defences became a federal responsibility . Though both infantry and artillery units were housed at the site on occasion , by 1903 there was no longer a permanent military presence at the fort . For most of the 20th century the site was neglected and largely vacated . It did attract some usage though not always of a military nature . During World War I it was partly revived for a former use , with ammunition stored on site . During the same period however the military used it as a detention barracks . Some or all of the fort was leased for private accommodation during the great depression . During the 1930s the magazine was again used , this time to store small arms ammunition . From June 1931 until the beginning of World War II the site housed a Sea Scout detachment , and was used as a district camp - site for the Boy Scout s . The Department of Defence decided in 1937 that much of the equipment and fittings at the fort were surplus to requirements . Consequent to this the mountings and carriages for the 10 inch guns were removed and sold as scrap ; though effort was made to scrap the barrels it proved uneconomic and they were left in place . In an unusual turn of events , the fort briefly housed refugees . Twenty - nine islanders from the Maldives were rescued from their sinking dhow by a ship bound for Wallaroo . They stayed at the fort for a week in 1938 , before repatriation could be arranged . During World War II the fort again attracted military related use . During 1944 the Proof and Experimental Establishment at Port Wakefield made use of the site to proof ordnance QF 6 pounder anti - tank guns manufactured at General Motors Holden in Woodville . The fort was also used as a residence again , with at least two families reported as living in the under - ground sections during the war . After the war , the State Government negotiated with their federal counterpart to gain control of Fort Glanville . This eventuated in the 1951 sale of the site , which was subsequently administered by the State Tourist Department as a caravan and camping park . The park occupied the muster ground outside the fort and the fort ' s barracks building was used as a manager ' s residence . The caravan park has had various managers since establishment : Until 1981 it was managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service , by Woodville Council until 1986 and subsequently by a private operator under a long - term lease . A significant change in the fort ' s conservation and preservation outlook was its declaration as a Historic Relic under the Aboriginal and Historic Relics Preservation Act in 1972 . Up to then there had been growing awareness of the significance of the site in terms of the state ' s colonial heritage . Control of the park was moved to the National Parks and Wildlife Service ( NPWS ) , and the fort and surrounds became designated as " Fort Glanville Conservation Park " . The National Estate Grants Program provided funds in 1975 for conservation work ; NPWS began this work in the same year and the caravan park boundary was moved southwards . Though the site had long been neglected , there was minimal permanent damage to its structure . During the 1970s reconstruction , much of the stockade was replaced . The replaced timbers are visibly different as they have shrunk significantly with large gaps that are not evident in the original timber . Adelaide City Council agreed to return the 64 - pounder guns and new wheels were made ; replacing those rotted over half a century before . In a ceremony on 2 October 1980 , the 100th anniversary of the guns first firing , one of the 64 - pounders was fired again ; later a commemoration plaque was added to the fort ' s flagpole ' s base . Shortly after this firing the Fort Glanville Historical Association was formed , and was incorporated in 1981 . Fort Glanville was opened for public visitation in 1981 . As part of South Australia ' s sesquicentenary , the South Australia Jubilee 150 board granted $ 250 , 000 for work on the fort , allowing construction of a visitor centre . Queen Elizabeth II visited and inspected the site , and newly constructed visitor centre , for almost an hour on 13 March 1986 . For the visit the historical association demonstrated firing of both the 64 and 2 pounder cannons . The visitor centre was officially opened one month after this visit . Governor Dame Roma Mitchell named the old road " Queen Elizabeth II Walk " in March 1991 ceremony , commemorating the 5th anniversary of the queen ' s visit . Considerable subsequent restoration work has been completed on the fort , including the barrack ' s interior . The portion of the muster ground that is not within the caravan park was returned to its original level in 1993 . Park and fort today . Fort Glanville Conservation Park is one of South Australia ' s most important heritage sites . It is the premier site in the state , and possibly Australia , for showcasing colonial era defences and fortifications . The fort is listed on the National Trust ' s classified list and on the Register of State Heritage Items . It is considered significant , in national historical military terms , for its association with Jervois and Scratchley ; both leading British defence experts who influenced Australian defence thinking in the late 19th century . The fort was very well constructed with high quality materials ; facts that have been noted as contributing to its preservation . The fort is largely intact and in original condition and is , along with Bluff Battery in Hobart , the best preserved Jervois - Scratchley designed fort in Australia . It is the only Australian colonial fort to still have all of its original armament , and the only to have a regular living history program . Its companion Fort Largs does survive but in greatly modified condition , converted for use as the South Australia Police academy . The fort retains its original armament ; armament that is both rare in Australia and worldwide . The conservation park is in the suburb of Semaphore South and incorporates the fort and surrounding area . It covers approximately , bounded by Bower and Military roads , Point Malcolm Reserve and Semaphore beach . The land is entirely crown land and is administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service ( NPWS ) . It is divided into roughly two halves , the northern contains the fort and the southern a caravan park . While it is managed by the NPWS , the Fort Glanville Consultative Committee and Fort Glanville Historical Association are heavily involved . The committee is appointed by the Minister for Environment and Planning and acts to advise the Minister and liaise with the community . As of 1988 , the fort hosted approximately 7 , 000 visitors annually , and is used as an event venue including the annual City of Charles Sturt citizenship ceremony . The historical association is an incorporated body of volunteers who use the fort under licence from the Minister . The operate the fort and visitor centre , holding monthly public open days at which the history of the fort is recreated ; this includes drill demonstrations and firing of the fort ' s weapons . They maintain static displays of the fort ' s active period and sell souvenir s . The associations goal is to have the site open as a fully operational fort for interpretation , tourism and education . The volunteers are involved with recreation , living history and ceremonial work outside the fort . They act as guards of honour at some Government House functions and attended the restoration opening of the Albany , Western Australia fort , and the annual re - enactment of the Battle of Waterloo in Keyneton , Victoria . The fort has living history displays , including the barracks laid out and furnished in period detail . The visitor centre has displays showing the development of South Australia ' s colonial defence from 1836 and artifacts found on site during restorations . Connecting the fort to Semaphore jetty is the " Semaphore and Fort Glanville Tourist Railway " , a gauge steam train operated by volunteers from the National Railway Museum . The railway opened in 1991 and , as of 2002 , carried over 16 , 000 passengers annually .