Fort Dorset

Historic Photos

Click the images to enlarge.

Below is a short film made during the war showing the guns at the main six-inch battery, the four-inch batteries and the steeple battery at Fort Dorset.

Description: No 3 Company and ambulance camp at Fort Dorset, showing tents, horse-drawn wagons and soldiers, circa 1912

Reference: Smith, Sydney Charles, 1888-1972. Smith, Sydney Charles 1888-1972 : No 3 Company and ambulance camp, Seatoun, Wellington. Ref: 1/2-053156-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23165261

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: View of Fort Dorset, possibly 1910s

Reference: View of part of Seatoun, Wellington, taken from above. Smith, Sydney Charles, 1888-1972: Photographs of New Zealand. Ref: 1/2-045436-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22829286

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: Fort Dorset, 1914. The emplacements are on the ridge in the background

Reference: Smith, Sydney Charles, 1888-1972. Horses at Seatoun Military Camp, Wellington. Smith, Sydney Charles, 1888-1972: Photographs of New Zealand. Ref: 1/2-047512-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23165377

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: Guns at Fort Dorset, 1914

Reference: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19140528-51-01

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: Breaker Bay, 30 July 1919. Note the gun emplacements are just visible and the observation post at the top of the ridge

Reference: 1855 raised beach at Eve Bay. Breaker Bay, Point Dorset and harbour entrance beyond, 30 July 1919, by Leslie Adkin. Te Papa (A.006645)

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: View of Seatoun showing Fort Dorset, 1920

Reference: Wellington City Council Archives, 00138-773

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: View of Seatoun in the 1920s, note the small number of buildings at Fort Dorset

Reference: Seatoun, Wellington. Original photographic prints and postcards from file print collection, Box 15. Ref: PAColl-7081-13. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23023033

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: View of Seatoun, including Fort Dorset, 1927

Reference: Panorama of Seatoun, Wellington. Moore, Robert Percy, 1881-1948 :Panoramic photographs of New Zealand. Ref: Pan-1894-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/33031029

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: Fort Dorset camp, 1920s-1930s

Reference: Seatoun, Wellington. Smith, Sydney Charles, 1888-1972: Photographs of New Zealand. Ref: 1/2-048332-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23031829

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: The main six inch gun emplacements at Fort Dorset, 16 April 1937. During World War Two these were given massive concrete covers, similar in design to those that survive at Fort Opau

Reference: Working the guns at Fort Dorset, Seatoun. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: 1/4-048821-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23203467

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: View of Fort Dorset, 1938.

Reference: Auckland and Seatoun, by Eric Lee-Johnson. Te Papa (E.001603)

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: Signallers at Fort Dorset. The main gun battery was on the ridge in the background, circa 1939

Reference: Signallers at Fort Dorset, Wellington. Original photographic prints and postcards from file print collection, Box 11. Ref: PAColl-6304-21. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22856368

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: One of the four inch gun emplacements at Fort Dorset, 1939

Reference: Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19390912.2.49.8

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: Seatoun showing part of the Fort Dorset camp, 1940

Reference: Wellington City Council Archives, 00157-19

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: 12pdr at Steeple Battery at Fort Dorset, circa 1941

Reference: Archives NZ, National Film Unit, "Camps, Guns and Tanks H.M.S. Leander Mechanised Hospital Middle East Review", 1942

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: 12pdr at Steeple Battery at Fort Dorset, circa 1941

Reference: Archives NZ, National Film Unit, "Camps, Guns and Tanks H.M.S. Leander Mechanised Hospital Middle East Review", 1942

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: 12pdr at Steeple Battery at Fort Dorset, circa 1941

Reference: Archives NZ, National Film Unit, "Camps, Guns and Tanks H.M.S. Leander Mechanised Hospital Middle East Review", 1942

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: 12pdr at Steeple Battery at Fort Dorset, circa 1941

Reference: Archives NZ, National Film Unit, "Camps, Guns and Tanks", 1941

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: View of Seatoun showing Fort Dorset, August 1947

Reference: Seatoun, Wellington, from Seatoun Heights. Tourist and Publicity. Ref: 1/2-019130-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22802535

Copyright: Crown copyright administered by Archives New Zealand

Description: View of Breaker Bay showing Fort Dorset, February 1948

Reference: Walker, W (Mr), active 1940s-1950s. Breaker Bay, Seatoun, Wellington - Photograph taken by W Walker. Tourist and Publicity. Ref: 1/2-019131-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22818528

Copyright: Crown copyright administered by Archives New Zealand

Description: Beach around near Steeple Rock, shows the track around the coast, 12 November 1949

Reference: Pinnacle Rock, Seatoun, 12 November 1949, by Leslie Adkin. Te Papa (A.009088)

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: Breaker Bay, 12 November 1949. Note the searchlight emplacement on the rock and the small bridge providing access

Reference: Breaker Bay, 12 November 1949, by Leslie Adkin. Te Papa (A.009086)

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: Breaker Bay, 12 November 1949

Reference: Breakers Bays from west, 12 November 1949, by Leslie Adkin. Te Papa (A.009089)

Copyright: No known copyright

Description: Fort Dorset in 1957. To the right you can see the Steeple Battery

Reference: Regiment parading at Fort Dorset, Wellington. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1957/4157-1-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22404732

Copyright status: Unknown - see National Library website

Description: Fort Dorset in 1957. To the left you can see the Steeple Battery

Reference: Regiment parading at Fort Dorset, Wellington. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1957/4157-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22350042

Copyright status: Unknown - see National Library website

Description: Fort Dorset, 12 August 1958

Reference: Ministers view Fort Dorset, Wellington, for housing sites. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1958/2670-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23256924

Copyright status: Unknown - see National Library website

Description: View of Seatoun showing Fort Dorset, 19 September 1958

Reference: Seatoun and Wellington Heads from Seatoun Heights Road ...., 19 September 1958, Wellington, by Leslie Adkin. Gift of Adkin Family, 1997. Te Papa (CT.011125)

Copyright status: No known copyright

Description: View of Seatoun showing Fort Dorset, 1958

Reference: Part two of a four part panorama of Seatoun, Wellington. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1958/1408-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23222426

Copyright status: Unknown - see National Library website

Description: View of Seatoun showing Fort Dorset, 1958

Reference: Part three of a four part panorama of Seatoun, Wellington. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1958/1409-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22659036

Copyright status: Unknown - see National Library website

Description: Fort Dorset, June 1975

Reference: RNZAF Official, sourced from https://fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/Collection/PR1545-R2-1-75.jpg.info

Copyright status: CC BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Description: Fort Dorset, June 1975

Reference: RNZAF Official, sourced from https://fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/Collection/PR1545-R2-3-75.jpg.info

Copyright status: CC BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Description: Fort Dorset, 16 March 1992

Reference: Wellington City Council Archives, 00540-1-34

Copyright status: CC BY

Description: Fort Dorset, 16 March 1992

Reference: Wellington City Council Archives, 00540-2-8

Copyright status: CC BY

Description: Fort Dorset, 16 March 1992

Reference: Wellington City Council Archives, 00540-2-10

Copyright status: CC BY

Description: Fort Dorset, 16 March 1992

Reference: Wellington City Council Archives, 00540-2-6

Copyright status: CC BY