Lytton, Queensland


Lytton is an outer riverside suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The historical region was a significant naval base after the establishment of Fort Lytton between 1880 and 1881. The Fort safeguarded the city and shipping routes from hostile invasions during the colonial period as Brisbane was close to the French naval garrison at Noumea.

Geography

It is north-east of the Brisbane CBD, but travel by the railway or road is considerably longer.

History

A pilot station and a village were established at Lytton in 1859. It was most likely named after Edward Bulwer-Lytton who was the Colonial Secretary of State in 1858–59. The layout of the village can be seen in an 1889 map.
It would be two years before a road was surveyed from Norman Creek. A telegraph line was run from Brisbane to Lytton in 1862. During the years 1876–1908 a local post office was open.
Due to Lytton's location on the south-east bank of the Brisbane River at its seaward end Fort Lytton was built in the 1881 to guard the mouth of the Brisbane River. The fort had a moat and was an pentagonal structure concealed behind an embankment. It was fortified with two six inch disappearing guns, also in 1881 a rifle range was added.
At the Lytton had a population of 6 people.

Heritage listings

Lytton has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Although Lytton was once a town, it is now primarily commercial and industrial. It shares the same postcode as the Port of Brisbane. Ampol owns and operates the Lytton oil refinery in the north east of the suburb. The plant could produce 109,000 barrels per day in 2012.

Gallery