Gona Barracks, Military heritage site in Kelvin Grove, Australia.

Gona Barracks is a large military training facility in Brisbane with buildings from different periods arranged around a central parade ground. The complex contains training halls, workshops, accommodation areas, and administration spaces that reflect how a military base operates.

The site was listed as Portion 322 and granted to Brisbane Grammar School in 1879, which leased grazing rights until 1911. The Commonwealth bought it in May 1911 and renamed it the Kelvin Grove Defence Reserve. An infantry drill hall, toilet block and artificers workshop were completed in 1914, followed by an Engineer's depot and artillery drill hall in 1915.

The buildings show how the military adapted its structures as technology changed over time. Walking through the site, you notice the contrast between older brick structures and later additions that reflect shifting military needs.

The barracks occupy several addresses along Gona Parade in Kelvin Grove, and the site is a working military reserve rather than a public attraction, so there is no visitor centre. The buildings are best seen from the surrounding streets; the 1914 infantry drill hall and the 1915 artillery drill hall with its gun parks are the earliest structures.

The complex preserves buildings that show how the military transitioned from using horses to motorized vehicles in the early 1900s. Walking through the older sections reveals how this shift in technology influenced the design and layout of training spaces.