Enoggera Barracks

Okay, so I'm here at Enoggera Barracks, which is also known as Gallipoli Barracks. It's a really significant Australian Army base, right here in the northwestern Brisbane suburb of Enoggera.

It's pretty wild to think that this area has been used by military units since the mid-19th century, way back in 1855. The base itself was officially established in the early 20th century, around 1908, initially for field training. Back then, it was just four paddocks—Bell, Fraser's, Rifle, and Thompson's—and they even had rifle ranges for civilian groups and militia. You can tell it's grown a lot since then, especially with the Army's involvement in the World Wars and other conflicts.

They actually renamed it Gallipoli Barracks on Anzac Day, April 25th, back in 1990. It's one of the largest army bases in the country and is home to most of the 7th Brigade units, plus a few from the 11th Brigade. It's also where the headquarters for the 1st Division and the 16th Aviation Brigade are located.

I just found out that in January 2011, this base was the central hub for the Australian Defence Force's response to the Queensland floods, which they called Operation Queensland Flood Assist. They've also put a ton of money, $770 million, into expanding the facilities, bringing the number of regular personnel here to about 5,600 by 2014. That upgrade included a new gym, an indoor pool, a training center, and expanding lines for some of the battalions. There's even a Royal Australian Regiment Memorial Walk on base.

It's pretty cool to see how much history is packed into this place. There are even heritage-listed sites here, like the Enoggera Magazine Complex and the School of Musketry. It’s definitely a place with a deep military past.