The Engine Room, particularly in the beginning on draft-versioned maps, was referred to as the Power Station.

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It generated electrical power to run both guns and contained two 180 Horse Power Ruston Hornsby Engines driving 415 volt DC generating equipment. The power was distributed via a number of cables routed through the tunnels which connected to the H1 gun emplacements and below the surface of the ground to the H2 gun emplacements (2)

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Ventilation was provided by a number of exhaust and ventilation shafts on the surface above.

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In 1939, it was operated by the permanent sappers attached to the army's 5 Frt Coy, who were based at the Barracks (1).

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As a result of re-structuring Fremantle Fixed Defences in June 1940 which saw the mainland army units seperated from Rottnest, the permanent fortress engineers became integrated with both the full-time and part-time sappers attached to the 35 Frt Coy. Those assigned to the island, were integrated into  Rottnest Frt Coy and those on the mainland became the Fremantle Frt Coy.

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References

(1) Sappers in the West - Graham McKenzie-Smith, p.58

(2) Rottnest Island Fortress - R Glyde.