Destination's Journey

Category: Military Museum

  • Fort Scratchley Newcastle

    Fort Scratchley Newcastle

    Fort Scratchley Newcastle

    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 Scratchley
    Outside wall of Fort Scratchley
    The fort's buildings on the upper level Fort Scratchley
    The fort’s buildings on the upper level
    80 Pound muzzle Loading cannon over looking the harbour Fort Scratchley
    80 Pound muzzle Loading cannon over looking the harbour
    6-inch Nark VII guns Fort Scratchley
    6-inch Nark VII guns
    View over Nobbys Beach to the Harbour entrance
    View 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 Scratchley
    Display of Sir Peter Scratchley
    Weapons display Fort Scratchley
    Weapons display
    Uniform Display Fort Scratchley
    Uniform Display
    Women's uniform display
    Women’s uniform display
    Star shell fired by I-21 on 8 June 1942
    Star shell fired by I-21 on 8 June 1942
    Model of the Japanese submarine I-21 Fort Scratchley
    Model of the Japanese submarine I-21
    The fort's gaol
    The 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 out
    One of the tunnels, a safety light and stairs leading out
    One of the fort's tunnels Fort Scratchley
    One of the fort’s tunnels
    Nordenfelt 1 1/2 inch gun
    Nordenfelt 1 1/2 inch gun
    The disappearing gun's pit. Now covered
    The disappearing gun’s pit. Now covered
    80 pounder muzzle loading cannon Fort Scratchley
    80 pounder muzzle loading cannon
    Shells in the magazine Fort Scratchley
    Shells in the magazine
    8 Inch breach loading gun
    8 Inch breach loading gun
    How the disappearing guns worked Fort Scratchley
    How 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.

  • Goulburn New South Wales Australia

    Goulburn New South Wales Australia

    Goulburn New South Wales Australia

    Established in 1833, Goulburn New South Wales is 195 km south-west of Sydney and 90 km north-east of Canberra. It was declared Australia’s first inland city in 1863.

    To get to Goulburn, you can travel by train on NSW CountryLink services or by coach. It is approximately two hour’s drive from Sydney. We drove from Mittagong, as part of a larger road trip to Newnes Industrial Ruins in the Wollemi National Park via Orange and Bathurst.

    We were only in Goulburn for one day, before heading off to Wombeyan Caves. However, we saw some great sights while there.

    Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum

    This impressive tower and museum overlook the town and is a must see when visiting. For more information, see our full story here.

    Rocky Hill War Memorial
    Rocky Hill War Memorial
    Weapons on Display Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum
    Weapons on Display

    Goulburn Historic Water Works

    This beautifully restored pump house still contains the original pumps from its operating days. For the full story of our visit, click here.

    Pump House
    Pump House

    Big Marino

    The Big Marino is hard to miss as you drive through tow, Click here for our visit.

    The Big Marino
    The Big Marino

    Interesting Buildings in Goulburn

    Elmslea Chambers

    Located in Montague St in the centre of town Elmslea Chambers has its façade beautifully decorated. Built in 1933, it was one of the first buildings in Australia to use coloured polychrome terracotta in its façade which features birds, flowers, leaves and Art Deco sunbursts under the windows.

    Although worth visiting the street just for this building, it’s also the location of the historic Fire station and not far from Cathedral Church of St Saviour.

    Elmslea Chambers 17 Montague St Goulburn
    Elmslea Chambers 17 Montague St Goulburn

    Fire Station

    Only a few doors down from Elmslea Chambers and also in Montague street, the historic Fire Station and the building next to it are interesting to see because of their interesting architecture.

    Goulburn Fire Station
    Fire Station

    Goulburn Courthouse

    At the far end of Montague Street and opposite Belmore Park, the courthouse is a large, beautiful building. Built in 1887  in the Federation Free Classical style based on original designs by Colonial Architect, James Barnet it is still an operating court.

    Goulburn Courthouse
    Courthouse

    Railway Station

    Completed in 1869, the Railway Station is another beautiful building in Goulburn.

    Goulburn Railway Station
    Goulburn Railway Station

    Cathedral Church of St Saviour

    Bourke Street has several beautiful churches including the Cathedral Church of St Saviour. Designed by Edmund Blacket, it was completed in 1884.

    Unfortunately the other large church, St Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral was undergoing a major restoration and was covered in scaffolding.

    Cathedral Church of St Saviour
    Cathedral Church of St Saviour
    Cathedral Church of St Saviour
    Cathedral Church of St Saviour

    Belmore Park

    War Memorial in Belmore Park
    War Memorial in Belmore Park

    St. John’s Orphanage

    Destroyed in a suspicious fire, the St. John’s Orphanage in Mundy Street caught our eye because of its sinister appearance. Access is not permuted with the whole area sealed off, so we could only view it from the street.

    St. John's Orphanage Goulburn
    St. John’s Orphanage

    What Did We Think?

    Goulbourn was only a quick stop for us, but we enjoyed it and would like to spend more time here. The history and old buildings were great to see, especially the Water Works and War Memorial.

  • Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum

    Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum

    Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum

    Perched on top of a hill, the Rocky Hill War Memorial and its associated Museum is very different from most memorials we have seen around Australia. Overlooking Goulburn in New South Wales, this 10.5m tall tower was opening in 1925 to commemorate all those who served in the First World War.

    War Memorial

    On entering the tower, you see a large marble memorial engraved with the names of service personnel from the Goulburn region who served in World War One. A spiral staircase decorated with photos from the war leads up to the viewing platform. We loved the way the photos told a story of the war and what the soldiers endured.

    Rocky Hill War Memorial
    Rocky Hill War Memorial
    Memorial to the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Flying Corps Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum
    Memorial to the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Flying Corps
    Memorial to those who served from Goulburn in WW1. Those killed are marked with *
    Memorial to those who served from Goulburn in WW1. Those killed are marked with *
    Photos lining the walls of the interior staircase
    Photos lining the walls of the interior staircase

    Museum

    Outside the museum, two 150mm German Field Guns stand guard. Donated to the town following the war and installed here following the new museum’s completion 2020. This new state of the art museum replaced an older one in the old caretaker’s cottage.

    The displays inside the museum are very good, included some World War one body armour, which we had not seen before. An impressive collection of rifles from different armies and trench warfare weaponry are also worth seeing.

    Illustrated in a poster is a sombre reminder of the cost of World War One with the number of dead and wounded Australians shown in relation to the size of the countries’ population. Interestingly, this poster also shows how the war trophies were divided up to the towns and cities depending on their population.

    This was a great place to visit, both for the memorial and museum showing the impact of the war so far away from the local community.

    German 150mm Field Gun
    German 150mm Field Gun
    Weapons on Display Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum
    Weapons on Display
    German Mauser, Turkish Mauser, Siamese Mauser Japanese Arisaka and British Lee Enfield rifles
    German Mauser, Turkish Mauser, Siamese Mauser Japanese Arisaka and British Lee Enfield rifles
    Australian Army Uniforms Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum
    Shell casing and a cartridge carrier from World War One
    Shell casing and a cartridge carrier from World War One
    First World War Body Armour
    First World War Body Armour
    Gas mask and horse gear. Including a horse's gas mask Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum
    Gas mask and horse gear. Including a horse’s gas mask
    Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.