On the Northern side of the entrance to the inner Waitemata Harbour in Auckland is North Head.  Its strategic importance in defending the city was recognised early and from the late 1870s batteries of guns were mounted there for protection in the event of an attack by hostile warships.  The defences were gradually strengthened over the years before being reduced following the Second War War.  Numerous wooden administration buildings remained, some of which were transferred from the Army to the Navy in the late 1950s.  From that time until 1995 when it was vacated, North Head housed various naval activities.