Tank Traps at Birubi Beach – Port Stephens – Port Stephens

Introduction

In 1942 in the Second World War, an amphibious attack by Japanese forces was regarded as a strong possibility along the New South Wales coastline between Stockton, in the Newcastle area and Port Stephens to the north.

To defend against an amphibious attack, thousands of reinforced concrete tank traps were installed along the local coastline. These were similar to those installed in other Australian coastal areas that were considered possible assault points.

The tank traps were triangular reinforced concrete pyramids, also referred to as ‘tetrahedrons’. Those placed at Birubi Beach, near Anna Bay were manufactured around February 1942, and may have been made at Newcastle.

The concrete tank traps were supplemented by barbed wire entanglements along the beaches.

By the end of 1943, the fears of a Japanese amphibious attack had eased.

Most of the tank trap structures were removed after the War but many still remain. At Stockton Beach, near Fort Wallace, tank traps remain submerged and when exposed, after a storm, can pose a hazard to swimmers.

At Birubi Beach, the remaining tank traps feature significantly around the lower car parking area.

Some photos of surviving tank traps in these two areas are shown below:

Tank traps at Birubi Beach

Tank traps at the lower parking area, Birubi Beach [Author photo]

Each tank trap included a serial number and date of manufacture. The above tank trap was numbered 1491 and manufactured on 25 February 1942 [Author photo]

Camel riders navigate the tank traps at Birubi Beach [Author photo]

Following the heavy rain event of June 2025, the lower carpark at Birubi Beach was flooded leaving the tank traps clearly visible [Author photo, June 2025]

Tank traps at Stockton Beach