The South Australian Government constructed the magazine in 1858 as a lightweight structure on wooden poles due to its location at the tidal creek. Only later, this became best practice to mitigate secondary damage from an explosion by descending débris.[1]
As the magazine was encroached by housing, only a decade after its commissioning proposals were made for its abandonment. However, it was not taken out of service until more than three decades later, in 1906, when its contents were transferred to the new Dry Creek explosives depot. The building was demolished in 1916. Subsequently, land reclamation has occurred and no visible evidence remains.[1]