Construction of the magazine and barrack complex at Goat Island was commenced, using the labour of ironed (convict) gangs, in 1833. The magazine was intended for the increasing stores of gunpowder held in Sydney town for public works and also as a central magazine for the powder stocks of the Navy and Military.
In August 1836 the NSW Legislative Council passed "an Act for better regulating the keeping and carriage of Gunpowder". This provided for the Officers of the Ordnance to be responsible for the custody of merchant's stocks of gunpowder.
By January 1839 the Goat Island magazine and the adjoining cooperage were completed. The magazine, otherwise known as the Ordnance or Queen's Magazine was constructed of sandstone quarried on the island and measured 100 feet by 25 feet internally. It was capable of holding 3,000 barrels of gunpowder. Its construction included heavy buttresses supporting a massive arched roof and an intricate ventilation system carved in the sandstone walls.
In 1848 the Colonial Secretary, Edward Deas Thomson, suggested to the Respective Officers of the Ordnance that the Ordnance magazine should be removed to Spectacle Island, due to the overcrowding caused by the large stocks of merchant's powder. This suggestion was rejected by the Officers and did not proceed.
Some time after its completion, and at least by 1852, the original cooperage at Goat Island had been converted for use as a laboratory, where propellant charges were made up for use by Naval ships and the Garrison artillery.
In 1857, storage space was again a problem at Goat Island and proposals were made for the use of the small magazines attached to the fortifications at Fort Macquarie, Fort Denison, Dawes Battery and Kirribilli. When consulted on this proposal, George Barney, the Commanding Royal Engineer suggested, as had the Colonial Secretary in 1848, the use of Spectacle Island as a site for a new magazine. At this time the amount of gunpowder in store on the Imperial account was 402 barrels, 135 half barrels and 1,473 quarter barrels.
On the evening of March 4 in 1866, a shipbroker's office at no. 17 Bridge Street, Sydney was devastated by the accidental explosion of two bottles of nitro-glycerine.This event appears to have precipitated a decision that the storage of explosives would be removed from the centre of Sydney.
In November 1875, the Report of the Storage of Gunpowder Board made a number of recommendations which included the removal of merchant's powder from Goat Island and the construction of a separate magazine for it on the right bank of the Parramatta River. New Gunpowder and Explosives Regulations were proclaimed in 1876.
According to Davies (S. Davies The Islands of Sydney Harbour P. 16) "the bulk of Goat Island's powder (was) moved further upstream to a silo at Haslam's Creek on the Parramatta River."
The Naval stores on Goat Island were removed to Spectacle Island in 1884, and shortly before March 1885, the Colonial Government stocks of explosives were removed from Spectacle Island to Goat Island.
The following letter sheds some light on the transfer to Spectacle Island:
"Espiegle" at Sydney
1st September 1884
Sir,
In compliance with the directions contained in your memo of 27th August 1884, we have the honour to report as follows:
2. We are of the opinion that it is undesirable to move the whole of the powder from Goat Island until the work on Spectacle Island is completed. The store-house for Gunnery Stores has not yet been begun; the building of the torpedo-store will not be finished for some weeks and then the internal fittings will have to be put up; the wharf and connecting tramways (see plan) have not yet been taken in hand.
3. We suggest..
That a moderate quantity of "present use" powder be taken at once to Spectacle Island, as its storage there will facilitate supply and permit effective supervision on the part of the resident Gunner without interfering with his charge of the other stores already there;
That the Colonial Government be requested to remove as soon as possible the small quantity of stores belonging to it still on Spectacle Island, which will enable it to with-draw the two men taking care of them;
That, as the wharf crane and tramways could probably be completed - if taken in hand at once - as soon as the internal fittings of the torpedo-store, the torpedoes etc be removed directly the wharf and store are ready for their reception, which would greatly diminish any risk of danger to the city from these powerful appliances;
And that the whole of the powder now on Goat Island be taken to Spectacle Island as soon as the work on the store-houses is finished and the work-men have ceased to be employed on the latter island.
4. The "present use" powder could be moved by a small working party in a ships launch. The transfer of the explosives from Berry Bay and Middle Harbour would require a working party of 40 men ... The final transfer of the whole remaining powder from Goat Island would require two working parties of about 15 men each ... permission to use the powder lighters and tugs belonging to the Colonial Government should be obtained.. the adoption of the above suggestions would go far to secure the citizens of Sydney against dangers concerning which they express much anxiety.
5. The number of men under the Gunner should be completed to 3... as soon as the two men in the Colonial Service are withdrawn.
Cyprian A. G. Bridge Captain HMS Espiegle
Thomas C. Fenton Torpedo Lieut. HMS Nelson
P. Tillard Gunnery Lieut, HMS Nelson
Further Information:
J. S. Kerr Goat Island 1985
P.R. Stephenson The History and Description of Sydney Harbour Pp 221-222
Australian Archives File A/NSW 71367
