Middle Head Sydney Harbour

Middle Head

Middle Head on Sydney Harbour houses the remains of Sydney’s original fortifications. Designed to repel an invasion from the sea, these huge concrete structures no longer have their guns, but remain as a reminder of times when Australia thought it was going to be invaded.

The Royal Australian Navy still has a presence in the area with HMAS Penguin still an active naval base. The car park for Middle Head is near the base. There is a fee for parking here and ticket machines are located in the car park.

Several of the old administration buildings are still in use and you walk past them on your way to the gun emplacements. The concrete structures are extensive, and you are free to walk around, through and over them. We explored them for a while and then admired the views over the harbour and towards North Head and South Head with Hornby Lighthouse.

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There is a small display of cannon carriages, but this is in need of signage and maintenance to give context to the display. Likewise, the tiger cages constructed in the area require an explanation to make them relevant.

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There are no food and drink outlets on the site, but we took our own and had a great view over the harbour while we ate.

Beehive Casements

Situated on Middle Head and maintained by National Parks and Wildlife, this old fortress can only be accessed by a guided tour. Details of the dates and costs can be found on NPWS website.

To get there, you drive through leafy Mossman and pass many lovely houses. Parking in the area is limited, so either arrive early, or walk from one of the larger car parks. Warning signs along the road show that parking in a non designated area will incur a $300 fine.

Beehive Casements Tour

The guide met us at the beehive casements where he gave an overview of their history and significance to Sydney. We then walked down stairs to the interior of the fort. The stairs can be slippery so take care. Once inside, you can see the extent of the excavations needed to build them. The passageways are often wet, because the sandstone they were built with is porous and water constantly sleeps through.

Embrasures facing Sydney Harbour provide a magnificent view and show why the forts were built here as they have a commanding view of any ships attempting to enter the harbour.

The shape of the interior provides the name of the casements, as they look like a conical beehives. The remains of several old cannons lie on the rock floors, but have unfortunately been burnt by vandals in the past. Some other remnants like racks for tools and coat racks still line the walls but have become rotted or rusty, providing some interesting photographic opportunities.

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For another perspective of the beehive casements, look for them when taking the Manly ferry. They can be found low down on the waterline of the cliffs. Looking carefully the three gun embrasures are visible.

A great place to visit and see Sydney’s early history as well as fantastic views over the harbour. For more early fortifications and military history, visit nearby Bradleys Head and the HMAS Sydney (I) mast and Royal Australian Navy memorials.

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