
When Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 expanded the war into the Pacific, Brisbane was thrust into the frontline of Allied operations. By 1942, after the bombing of Darwin and growing fears of Japanese invasion, Brisbane became a critical military hub in the South West Pacific. The city transformed rapidly—civilians were evacuated from key zones, new camps sprang up across the suburbs, and once-quiet neighbourhoods became bustling military zones.
At the height of Brisbane’s wartime activity, nearly 75,000 American personnel were stationed in the city, alongside thousands of Australian and other Allied troops. Strategic locations such as Archerfield Airport, Fort Lytton, and the various army camps in Wacol, Yeronga, and Strathpine became crucial staging and training grounds for campaigns across the Pacific.
The wartime changes left a lasting imprint on Brisbane’s physical and social landscape. Today, this history is being rediscovered through heritage initiatives like the Camp Columbia Heritage Association.