Kissing Point Fortification & Jezzine Barracks (part)

Kissing Point Fort and Jezzine Barracks are now a 15ha open space precinct, about 2.5km north of the Townsville CBD. The site features extensive walking trails, interpretation of the Indigenous history, and the military history of the site, interspersed with 32 commissioned public artworks. Significant elements of the 1891 fort have been restored. It was part of the Queensland coastal defence scheme which included Fort Lytton, and Green Hill Fort on Thursday Island. The site was gazetted in 1886, concurrently with the establishment of the 3rd Queensland (Kennedy) Regiment. The fortress construction included two mounted guns and numerous buildings. The Kennedy Regiment was relocated to Charters Towers in 1887, and distinguished itself during the Boer War, and later in WWI. During WWII, Kissing Point housed training encampments. The area to the south-west of the fortification was renamed Jezzine Barracks in 1941, honouring the recent successful campaign at Jezzine in Beirut. The Kennedy Regiment returned here following WWII. In 1957, the reserve was subdivided and the foreshores transferred to the council. The site became superfluous to the needs of the Defence Department in late 1960s and the Australian Army Museum of North Queensland was established here.