Annerley Army Reserve Depot

This pair of army drill halls (and their parade ground), dating from 1914 and 1954 respectively are a rare surviving and intact pair from totally different eras. The first, a standard pre World War I hall of galvanised iron sheeting, is one of only six left from a time when such militia training halls were popping up all over the place as a response to the needs of the Defence force.

At the time there were not enough venues to accommodate the Defence Act from 1911 which decreed that all boys aged 12-18 undertake compulsory army drilling, with annual training for those aged 18-20. As a result of this act the size of the defence grew from around 20000 in 1911 to 60000 in 1915.

The second hall with two wings was built as a Citizens Military Forces venue, in response the Cold War of the early 1950s. The entire depot remained in use by the army until the 1990s and today stands as a heritage listed reminder of Australian citizens role in war times.