MacArthur Museum Brisbane

MacArthur Museum Brisbane MacArthur Museum Brisbane is open to visitors on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday every week from 10am to 3pm (last entry 2.30pm)

On this day, 15 June, in 1942 clothing rationing was introduced in Australia. The British government had purchased the ...
15/06/2026

On this day, 15 June, in 1942 clothing rationing was introduced in Australia. The British government had purchased the entire wool supply for the duration of the war plus a year and cotton imports were disrupted so materials for clothing were in short supply. Ration books were issued to everyone, including children. Rationing did not end until 1950.

Visit the MacArthur Museum to find out more about what civilian life was like in Brisbane during the war.

On this day in 1942, a Japanese submarine shelled Newcastle, NSW. The attack targeted the BHP steelworks but caused mini...
08/06/2026

On this day in 1942, a Japanese submarine shelled Newcastle, NSW. The attack targeted the BHP steelworks but caused minimal damage, with only one home hit and no fatalities. Fort Scratchley returned fire, marking the only time Australian coastal guns fired on an enemy in WW2. The picture shows the Fort Scratchley gun being fired.

Many people are only aware of the bombing of Darwin, but a number of other Australian cities were targeted including Sydney and Townsville, as well as Newcastle. This made the fear of war and possible invasion feel very real to the Australian people.

On the night of 31 May 1942 three Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney harbour aiming to destroy Allied warships, b...
31/05/2026

On the night of 31 May 1942 three Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney harbour aiming to destroy Allied warships, but only managed to sink the depot ship HMAS Kuttabul, killing 21 sailors.

Two of the subs were detected and attacked before they could open fire. Sydney also came under fire the following week with eastern suburbs being targeted, although damage was only minor. The attacks caused significant panic and led to enhanced defences along the Australian east coast.

Come and visit our museum to learn more about the Pacific War and the impact on Australia.

The Battle for Mubo was part of the Australian advance on Salamaua which would ultimately destroy the major Japanese bas...
09/05/2026

The Battle for Mubo was part of the Australian advance on Salamaua which would ultimately destroy the major Japanese base at Lae. Attempting delay such an advance, the Japanese established a defensive position at the tactically important area of Mubo.

As part of a Japanese counter-attack on the advancing Australian 17th Brigade, an isolated company under the command of CAPT Leslie Tatterson, was attacked by the 102nd and 115th Regiments of the Imperial Japanese Army. Between the 9th and 11th May 1943, the company held out inflicting over 100 casualties on the IJA and suffering 12 of its own. The delay caused by this stubborn defence would enable the Allies to consolidate so that Mubo fell to the Allies on 12th July 1943.

The US War Plan Orange 3 (for war against Japan) was approved by the senior representatives of the US Navy and Army in J...
06/05/2026

The US War Plan Orange 3 (for war against Japan) was approved by the senior representatives of the US Navy and Army in June 1940. It called for the defence of the Philippines to concentrate on the island of Luzon and in particular the Bataan peninsula and the island of Corregidor. In the event of war, the US forces were to hold out until the US Pacific Fleet could bring relief.

When LTGEN MacArthur was appointed to command the US-Filipino forces on 26th July 1941 he determine to defend the entire Philippines. On 7th December the foundation of the entire plan was removed when the core of the fleet was immobilised at Pearl Harbour. To support MacArthur’s plan troops and supplies had to be dispersed throughout the Philippines. MacArthur’s plans had to be revised to the original Rainbow plans due to the rapid advance by the Japanese Army. The withdrawal forced MacArthur to destroy vast quantities of equipment and supplies, most critically food and munitions. Despite this the defenders achieved some notable successes against the Japanese. The losses crippled the defence and US defenders suffered starvation, illness and lack of war supplies before their inevitable surrender.

General MacArthur had been ordered out of the Philippines (11th March 1942) and was exercising overall control from his HQ in Melbourne. His insistence on no surrender conflicted with the orders of General Wainright calling on US forces throughout the Philippines to surrender after the fall of Corregidor. On 7th May he broadcast orders to all US Forces to surrender to avoid a possible massacre of the now disarmed troops who had surrendered on Corregidor.

The Battle of the Coral Sea took place in the northern Coral Sea on 4-8th May 1942. A combined US - Australian fleet fac...
04/05/2026

The Battle of the Coral Sea took place in the northern Coral Sea on 4-8th May 1942. A combined US - Australian fleet faced a Japanese attempt to capture Port Moresby from the sea. Although the US suffered heavier losses, the Japanese were rebuffed in the first naval battle fought entirely by aircraft (as the warships did not see each other).

The damage to the two Japanese aircraft prevented them being part of the Japanese force at Midway, contributing to the Japanese defeat in what became the turning point of the Pacific War.

Learn more about this and other battles of the war at the MacArthur Museum. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

ANZAC Day is a time to remember those who have served their country and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This pho...
25/04/2026

ANZAC Day is a time to remember those who have served their country and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This photo shows the construction of ANZAC Square in Brisbane.

Here at the MacArthur Museum Brisbane we are privileged to be able to tell some of the stories. Come and visit us to learn more about how people served their country during World War Two.

20/04/2026

Please note the MacArthur Museum Brisbane will be open on Anzac Day (25 April 2026) from 12.30pm following the Anzac Day march. We will close at 3pm with last admissions at 2.30pm.

Admission is free but donations welcome.

in 1943 Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbour was shot down and killed. The Japanese coding s...
18/04/2026

in 1943 Admiral Yamamoto, the architect of the attack on Pearl Harbour was shot down and killed. The Japanese coding system had been broken by the allies, enabling them to pinpoint his location.

Come and visit the museum to see the control yoke from the seat Admiral Yamamoto was in when the plane was shot down.

Address

Level 8 MacArthur Chambers, 201 Edward Street
Brisbane, QLD
4000

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 3pm
Thursday 10am - 3pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+61732117052

Website

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