Launch of WW11 Radar Station Interpretative Exhibit at Cape Otway Lightstation
Delve deep into WW2 history as we uncover the story of a top secret mission at Cape Otway. An audio visual interpretation project that marries Corten steel silhouettes, with voices of Victorian WWII Radar veterans as they recall their secret war; unknown to contemporary audiences.
The original wireless equipment, on loan from the Apollo Bay Museum has been returned to the bunker and displayed as part of the exhibit.
Housed within the WWII Radar Station at Cape Otway Lightstation. The project is a collaboration between the Lightstation & RAAFA Radar Veterans Association.
The history of WWII RAAF Radar has been a relatively unknown “secret story” due to its top-secret WWII status, which was effectively continued post-WWII by RAAF Radar Veterans who had committed to its secrecy status. This has resulted in very little formal historical recording of WWII RAAF Radar.
VRAAFRA WWII Veteran Members have been committed to creating, recording and preserving for future generations, an historical understanding of WWII RAAF Radar and its critical role in defending Australia and winning the war in the South West Pacific. The relatively few surviving WWII Radar Veterans, together with other VRAAFRA Members continue that commitment today and have donated to this Tourism Great Ocean Road project at Cape Otway Lightstation.
The significance of this project can be seen in the fact that outside of the Australian War Memorial’s static display of WWII RAAF Ground Radar equipment in Canberra, the Cape Otway Interpretive Exhibition, based at the purpose built and still standing 13RS Radar Operations Building, is the only other exhibition recording WWII RAAF Radar history.
The inclusion of WWII veterans’ audio recollections of Radar Station activities is also significant in providing a personal balance to that secret historical WWII RAAF Radar Story.
Contributing Donors
Victorian RAAF Radar Association
The Bowker Family/ Tourism Great Ocean Road
Ian McKellar
Margaret Bennett
Apollo Bay Museum- Original Wireless equipment
