No longer used by the military, Fort Scratchley is now a memorial to the servicemen and women who served there. During World War Two, the Japanese submarine I-21 attempted to shell Newcastle and the BHP Steel Works. Fortunately most of the shells missed or failed to explode with no-one hurt and only minor damage caused. Fort Scratcheley returned fire but failed to hit the submarine. In doing so, it became the only Australian fort to fire on an enemy ship.
Regularly fired by volunteers, two of the original guns are still in place. Most of the original buildings and tunnels are intact and can be viewed, with guided tours of the tunnels also available.
Now a heritage site, the fort’s buildings and guns from World War Two are still intact. Still operational, the guns are fired each day by volunteers. The upperworks and buildings are free to walk around, but a tour of the tunnels require a ticket as it is a guided tour.
As well as the fortifications, the views over Newcastle and the nearby beaches are fantastic.
Fort Exterior Displays
On entering the fort, you are free to enter all areas apart from the underground tunnels. As the tunnel tours are timed, we booked one and then went exploring the remainder of the fort. At the top of the hill, the 6-inch guns that fired on the I-21 can be seen and you are able to get close to them.
Older muzzle loading guns have been returned to the fort and re-sited where they used to be. The size of the 80-pound cannon really has to be seen to understand how massive it is.
Outside wall of Fort ScratchleyThe fort’s buildings on the upper level80 Pound muzzle Loading cannon over looking the harbour6-inch Nark VII gunsView over Nobbys Beach to the Harbour entrance
Display Rooms
Rooms that used to house soldiers now serve as display rooms showing the history of the fort. A full room is dedicated to Sir Peter Scratcheley who the fort is named after. Another room has a model of the I-21 and some of the shells fired that night.
Display of Sir Peter ScratchleyWeapons displayUniform DisplayWomen’s uniform displayStar shell fired by I-21 on 8 June 1942Model of the Japanese submarine I-21The fort’s gaol
The Tunnels
The highlight of the trip was the tunnel tour which takes you under the fort and into its working areas. The guide was great and full of information about the fort’s past and how it worked. From the magazines that used to store the fort’s ammunition to the gun emplacements it was a comprehensive tour. We were able to get close to most of the guns to get a detailed look.
One of the tunnels, a safety light and stairs leading outOne of the fort’s tunnelsNordenfelt 1 1/2 inch gunThe disappearing gun’s pit. Now covered80 pounder muzzle loading cannonShells in the magazine8 Inch breach loading gunHow the disappearing guns worked
What Did We Think?
This was a great place to visit, because it’s full of local history and amazingly restored guns and displays. Well worth the visit.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Famous for its annual Highland Games festival, Aberdeen, New South Wales Australia (not to be confused with the one in Scotland) is surrounded by some of the richest horse studs in Australia.
Apart from the Highland Games, we hadn’t stopped here before, because we are usually driving through on our way to something else. With a population of under 2,000, we weren’t expecting too much, but were please with the few things we found.
Lion’s Park has some lion sculptures and several plaques detailing the early town of Aberdeen. There are some tables with shade next to the sculptures , which makes this a good place to stop for a break.
In the centre of town, on the New England Highway, Taylor Park has memorials, and a cairn, raised by the Highland Games, dedicated to the sons and daughters of Scotland who made the district their home. Several other nearby towns have Scottish names, most notably Scone which is only 10 minutes away.
The park also has an anchor on display, but there is not plaque detailing where it’s from or what it commemorates.
The local Men’s Shed is colourfully decorated and can be found at the entrance to the local sporting field.
So overall, not a huge amount to see but interesting if you have a few minutes to spare on your drive through.
Lions Club MemorialLions Club MemorialSons & Daughters of ScotlandPlaque in Taylor ParkTaylor ParkAnchor in Taylor ParkAnchor in Taylor ParkMen’s Shed
Located in the Upper Hunter town of Scone, and opened in March 2022, Hunter Warbirds is Australia’s newest aviation museum. Designed to house aircraft and display them to visitors in the best possible way it’s a modern state of the art museum. By car Hunter Warbirds is 300km north of Sydney and 150km northwest of Newcastle. With a spacious onsite car park, parking is a breeze.
Many of the aircraft belonged to Col Pay, with the museum being a celebration of his love for aviation. The Pay family continued his interest along with his aviation business and desire for a museum at Scone.
A video running in a side room details Col’s passion for aviation and collecting warbirds.
Hunter Warbirds and Scone Memorial Airport Building
The Display Hall
The centrepiece of the museum, the display hall houses the collection with space to spare. Hopefully this means that the collection will grow over time. Displayed around the hall, posters illustrate the history of Aviation in Australia. All aircraft have information boards detailing their individual histories.
One of the outstanding things about the displays is that most are still airworthy. This is amazing because most museum aircraft no longer fly. Even the Bristol F2.B replica can fly. We were told that ten of the thirteen aircraft there could fly, with only the Mirage, MiG and Macchi being grounded.
This replica Bristol F.2B Fighter represents B1229 flown by the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) during World War One. Flown at one stage by Captain Ross Smith who scored 11 of his 12 enemy victories in this aircraft in the Middle East between September 1917 and October 1918. He served in No1 Squadron AFC and whilst in Middle East flew as Lawrence of Arabia’s pilot on several occasions in the Bristol F.2B.
First flying in 1931, the de Havilland Tiger Moth became the most widely used military and civilian primary trainer of all time.
Bought by Col Pay in 1959, this Tiger Moth previously served with the RAAF. It became his first crop duster. Following a restoration in 2008 it is now airworthy again.
Widely used throughout World War Two as a basic trainer, the Boeing Stearman Model 75 taught many Allied pilots how to fly. Painted in blue and yellow to depict a US Navy N2S-3 but originally built as a PT-17 it looks amazing.
Produced in Australia from 1939 to 1946, 755 Wirraways served in the RAAF. Although designed as training aircraft, they were also used for army co-operation and in the desperate early years of the Second World War as fighters.
This particular Wirraway was built as A20-81, but is painted as A20-176 which was used by No. 4 Squadron RAAF on army co-operation duties in New Guinea during 1942-43. Owned by Paul Bennet Airshows A20-176 is a regular at Australian air shows.
The CAC CA-25 Winjeel (meaning young eagle) was designed and built in Australia as a basic trainer for Royal Australian Air Force pilots. Operated from 1957 until 1975 as trainers, a small number continued in use as Forward Air Control aircraft until 1995.
Winjeel A85-426 continued in RAAF service until 1995 as a Forward Air Control aircraft at Williamtown. Purchased by Ross Pay in 2000 for Hunter Warbirds, it is marked in FAC camouflage.
Aermacchi MB-326 ex RAAF A7-047 was a training aircraft used by the Royal Australian Air Force from 1968 to 2000 In 1989, they were replaced by the Pilatus PC-9 as a basic trainer. and in 2000 the BAE Hawk replaced them as lead in fighter trainers.
A7-047 is painted in the scheme worn while serving at Williamtown Air Base near Newcastle.
Manufactured in 1943, this Supermarine Spitfire flew operationally with No. 331 Squadron (Norwegian) and No. 274 Squadron RAF over Northern Europe. Purchased by the South African Air Force in 1948, and later sold to US interests Pay’s Aerial Services acquired it in 2008. It has since been restored to flying condition.
The Mustang at Hunter Warbirds is a CAC CA-18 Mk 21 built in 1947. Operated by the Royal Australian Air Force with serial A68-107. The CA-18 was a licence-built version of the North American Mustang. Purchased by Col Pay in 1980 it has been based in Scone since then.
Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk VH-KTY belongs to Vintage Fighter Restorations based at Scone NSW.
Originally operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1942 to 1945 Col Pay acquired it in 1994 in a derelict state. Fully restored to flying condition it is a favourite at Australian air shows.
Finished in the colour scheme of a 3 Squadron RAAF P-40E serial ET953 Sqn code CV-V, it has dark brown, stone and azure blue camouflage. Flown by Squadron Leader Robert Gibbes, the Commanding Officer of No. 3 Squadron, North Africa it has some interesting nose art.
Delivered on 22nd September 1966 Dassault Mirage IIIO A3-44 was one of 116 RAAF Mirages. Based at Williamtown and used by 76 and 77 Squadrons Royal Australian Air Force A3-44 retired in 1987.
Used as a spotter aircraft during the Vietnam war the Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog is a military version of the Cessna 170. This particular aircraft was flown by the South Vietnamese Air Force.
Produced in Poland by the WSK-Mielec factory the Lim-5P is a license-built version of the MiG-17F. Produced in the mid-1950s.
Imported into Australia in 1998 and repainted as Polish Air Force “402″ it is in excellent condition, complete with its cockpit fit out and 2 X ground attack UB-16-57 multiple rocket pods.
Previously located at Caboolture Qld, and generously donated by Jack McDonald to Hunter Fighter Collection Inc the MiG-17F is on static display.
We though this was an amazing museum, full of the living history of airworthy planes. The museum is big, clean and spacious with great amenities and great staff service. We feel its well worth the visit and we will go back as the collection grows.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
