Several of the details below are coming from the books World War II stories from Brisbane’s South West and 150 Years Richlands, Inala & Neigbouring Suburbs in Brisbane’s South West both by Vicki Mynott. Receptively in 2006 and 2009 she published stories from locals who provided some of the information in this chapter that I have – with her permission – weaved into a more general overview.
During WWII, a large range of military facilities were established between Archerfield Airport and Camp Columbia most of them were managed from the headquarters on the top of the hill. Other sites were managed by the Australian Defence Force.The CCHA project concentrate on the the last remaining heritage infrastructure in the Pooh Corner Bush Reserve as this was part of the former HQ area. However, it is interesting to see that WWII military facilities were scattered through an area where now tens of thousands of Brisbanites live and work, most of them unware of the rich WWII history of their suburbs.
Military facilities around Wacol 1942-1945
| Map No | Facility | Notes |
| 1 | Wacol Railway siding | Dispatched ordnance to the war zone |
| 2 | Camp Columbia, Wacol | US staging camp for 5000 men |
| 3 | Motor Pool | For Camp Columbia |
| 4 | Darra Station | Declared ‘black’ to separate warring black and white US soldiers |
| 5 | Officer Candidate School | US training centre for officers in the SW Pacific |
| 6 | Emergency Landing Ground | B1 type (over 800 m); RAAF controlled |
| 7 | Small Arms Renovation Plant | Repaired small arms for reuse |
| 8 | Camp Darra | Ordnance workers camp for 200 men |
| 9 | Darra Ordnance Depot | Supplied the US army in the Southwest Pacific |
| 10 | Archerfield House | Centre for civilian guards of Ordnance Depot |
| 11 | Camp Freeman | Quartermasters camp with 1000 men |
| 12 | Chemical Camp | 200 men in Blunder Road |
| 13 | Searchlight Station | On private land in Brookbent Road |
| 14 | Charcoal Pits, Pallara | Made alternative fuel for vehicles |
| Neighbouring Military Facilities | ||
| 15 | Archerfield Aerodrome | Australian, US, British, Dutch training field |
| 16 | Camp Muckley | US military camp |
| 17 | RAN/RAAF Stores | Ammunition depot (now in Greenbank MTA) |
| 18 | Redbank Army Camp | Major Queensland Army Camp – up to 2500 men |
Next: The Hospital, Officer Candidate School, Muckly, Darra, Freeman, Motor Pools