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Category: Army

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Bare Island

The external walls of the fortified island

Bare Island

In the 1860s Britain removed its garrison troops from its Australian colonies, which resulted in a rapid examination of the colonies’ defenses. Britain’s war with Russia escalated fears of an invasion (not sure how Russia was going to send an invasion force all the way to Australia). As a result two Imperial Engineers arrived (Scratchley who also designed Fort Scratchley in Newcastle and Jervois). Between them and with the assistance of colonial architects they devised a series of forts to defend the coastline and major centres. One of these was Bare Island.

With excellent views over the entrance to Botany Bay, Bare Island was perfectly placed to guard against an overland attack of Sydney. Manned by around 70 soldiers it served as a fort from it’s completion in 1886 until the early 1900s. With changing technology, the fort became a war veterans’ home until 1942 when the military again took up residence.

Bare Island Fort Today

Unfortunately during the 1930s all but the two largest guns were sold for scrap. The largest guns remain only because they were too heavy to move. In 1967, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) were given control of the now gazetted historical site. In 1989, the fort opened to the public.

Getting There

We drove to La Perouse and parked in the foreshore parking area. From here we walked over the pedestrian bridge to Bare Island.

The Tour

NPWS conduct guided tours of the island, which can be booked online. Joining a tour at the entrance gate is possible, but only if there is room. Book onlie to avoid disappointment.

Access to the island is via a pedestrian bridge. Your guide will meet you at the far end of the bridge and let you through the gates. From here, the tour takes you through the gun pits, tunnels and rooms of the fort. The guide provides a narration throughout the tour, so you receive the full history of the island.

From the top of the island, you get amazing views of Botany Bay, while being able to appreciate the importance of the fort as it overlooks the bay’s entrance.

What Did We Think of Bare Island?

This was a great tour, full of history and interesting things to see. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, providing us with lots of information on the Island’s history. Especially good was the group size, which was no so large that you missed out on seeing things.

The external walls of the fortified island
The external walls of the fortified island Bare Island
External walls Bare Island
External walls
The connecting bridge Bare Island
The connecting bridge
Rifle slots in the walls
Rifle slots in the walls
Verandah of the Barracks
Verandah of the Barracks
Connecting tunnel between gun pits Bare Island
Connecting tunnel between gun pits
underground gun, firing through a concealed gunport Bare Island
underground gun, firing through a concealed gunport
Connecting tunnel and magazine access
Connecting tunnel and magazine access
One of the gun pits
One of the gun pits
Gun mounted on one of the gun platforms. Not the original gun.
Gun mounted on one of the gun platforms.
Disappearing gun pit Bare Island
Disappearing gun pit
This shows the commanding field of fire the gun had to the entrance to Port Botany.
This shows the commanding field of fire the gun had to the entrance to Port Botany.
Gun pit with a view of the connecting bridge to Bare Island
Gun pit with a view of the connecting bridge to the island
View from Bare Island to the mainland. Aboriginal, Australian and NSW flags.
View from Bare Island to the mainland. Aboriginal, Australian and NSW flags.

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

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Fort Scratchley Newcastle

6-inch Nark VII guns Fort Scratchley

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.

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Rocky Hill War Memorial and Museum

German 150mm Field Gun

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.