The Catacombs

Between August and November 1916, the men of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company dug and intricate network of passageways and shelters into the side of what was then known as Hill 63. This same company had also been involved in the mining operations at Hooge and Hill 60.

This underground system, which soon became known as the 'Catacombs', was large enough to accommodate two infantry battalions or roughly 1,200 men. The Australians preferred to call it Wallangara - the aboriginal words meaning 'plenty of water' - and fixed an effigy of a kangaroo over the main entrance. The official army name was the more prosaic 'Hill 63 Dugouts'.

The Catacombs consisted of 19 separate tunnels or 'streets', with various quarters for officers and their assistants. Senior officers had a room with two benches and a table. Junior officers had a smaller room with just a table and chair. There were dormitories near the main office for runners and secretaries. The complex also had its own transmission room, an electric power station, a heating system, a canteen and a sick bay.

The main entrance was large enough to allow a lorry to drive in. A strict one-way system was also enforced, to allow hundreds of soldiers to move easily in the cramped conditions.

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