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apollonaut. Built by People Who've Been

An Apollonaut travel guide

Look a little closer.

Read through the raids of 1942, the secret project that followed and the tunnels as they are today. Each is a different way to begin a visit.

Black smoke rising from burning oil tanks on Stokes Hill above Darwin’s main wharf during the first air raid, 19 February 1942, in black and white
On this page

Ways into the story

  1. Why Darwin built its oil tunnels

    Begin with the Journal’s account of the raids of 1942 and the decision to store fuel underground.

  2. People and place

    Follow the heritage introduction into the longer story of the tunnels, from their construction to the museum today.

  3. Darwin and its harbour

    Explore Kitchener Drive and the Darwin Waterfront through the Darwin guide.

Stories with a clear point of view

A useful story gives you something specific to notice: a building, a date, a change over time or a question worth carrying into a visit. Context matters as much as a striking image.

This hub brings the WWII Oil Storage Tunnels’ editorial pages together. It does not present commissioned interviews, community projects or independent field reporting that have not taken place. When new reporting is added, its contributors, dates and image credits should travel with it.

The Apollonaut collection

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The west front of Monticello, with its white columned portico and dome above a wide lawn, under autumn trees Bookable

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