Today the Illowra Hill 60 Battery gives fantastic views over the Illawarra Coastline, however, in World War Two it was the front line of defence for the region. With an observation post on top of the hill, the two guns placed below had commanding views of fire to defend Port Kembla and its steel industry.
Getting There
Located in Port Kembla near Fisherman’s Beach, the Hill 60 Lookout has a small car park and lookout platform which lets you admire views up and down the coast. Once you have finished here, drive to the lower car park, to the tunnel entrances.
The Illowra Hill 60 BatteryTunnels
Built to allow access to the gun emplacements, two tunnels descend steeply from the entrance. The steepest sections have concrete stairs, but be careful, as rocks and dust provide trip and slip hazards. Adjacent to the stairs are the pathways a small gauge trollyway ran on, delivering shells to the guns below.
Although dark, the tunnels have been decorated by previous visitors and almost every blank space is covered with the grafiti.
At the end of each tunnel are the remains of the concrete gun emplacements. The mounting plates are still present at both while No. 2 emplacement still has the gun-shield.
A cross tunnel connected No 1 and No, 2 tunnels, meaning you do not have to return to the same entrance. This was far darker than the main tunnels, which added to the interest in following it.
During our visit both tunnels were accessible, however both also had large metal doors. These may be locked at times.
View over the Coast From the Top of Hill 60.
Illowra Hill 60 Battery No. 2 Gun Position
No. 1 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 1 Gun Position Mounting Plate
Entrance to the No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position Tunnel
No. 2 Gun Position and Gun Shield
What Did We Think?
We had a great time exploring these tunnels, as they were interesting for their history as well as being deserted and different to the usual abandoned emplacements on the coastline. They were easy to find and parking was easy and with great views.
Operated by Sydney Harbour Trust, North Head is an ex-army heritage listed site. Staffed by volunteers, the Visitor Centre is an ideal point to start your exploration of the area as they can provide you with an overview of what’s available. Our visit on a Sunday corresponded to the day that a guided tour was running for the site and underground tunnels. For a small fee a guide shows groups around while explaining the importance of each area. Importantly this is the only way to gain access to the tunnels which form a major part of the site.
Getting to North Head
Public Transport
Ferries to Manly run from Circular Quay, taking around 30 minutes for the trip. Alternately, the Manly Fast Ferry takes 20 minutes, but is more expensive. There is a Fast Ferry service to Q Station Wharf, if you want to start here instead of Manly.
From the Manly Ferry Wharf, bus 135 takes 20 minutes to drive to North Head. This bus runs every hour and connects well with the ferry arriving and departing Manly. Located outside the main entrance, bus stops are easy to find.
Walking
Taking 40 minutes, the shortest walk winds through Manly’s streets, past Q Station and onto North Head. A more scenic track runs along the shore, taking you past fantastic clifftop lookouts and historical gun emplacements, before passing Shelly Beach and ending at Manly Beach. At 4.2 km long, the scenic track takes around an hour one way, but has wonderful scenery to enjoy along the way.
Starting at Q Station, a 1.3 km track passes through bush land, passes the Third Quarantine Cemetery before ending at the North Head Sanctuary Visitors’ Centre. This well paved track is an easy 20-minute walk, with great views over Sydney Harbour.
Headstones in the third Quarantine CemeteryHeadstones in the third Quarantine Cemetery
Driving
Located outside the Visitor Centre is a pay for use car park, which makes driving yourself a convenient option
North Fort Tour
Starting with a short film on Sydney’s history of fortifications which was informative and gave us an insight into their original appearance.
View of South Head From North HeadView of Sydney From North Head
Memorial Walk
The walking tour started with the Memorial Walk which is a paved pathway winding through Australian bush land. Many of the paving stones have been inscribed with the names of servicemen which gives a personal touch to the area.
Progressing along the path takes you to all the memorials for wars Australia has been involved in. Each of the memorials is made of Sydney sandstone and engraved with an overview of the conflict. The Gallipoli Memorial contains the only non-native species in the area, a cutting from the lone pine.
Memorial WalkWorld War 1 MemorialLone Pine Gallipoli Memorial
Fortifications
Continuing to the above ground fortifications we saw the remains of gun emplacements which now consist of concrete structures without any guns. The only remaining gun is a 9.2 inch (23.37 cm) barrel which is on display next to the forts.
9.2 Inch Gun
Underground Tunnels
The highlight of the tour was the underground tunnels. These consist of the rooms and the tunnels needed to service the guns and protect the military personnel manning the forts. Our guide took us through each room, explaining their function and how each was operating when the fort was working.
In the magazine, dummy shells give an idea of the size of the projectiles used and a rack has them set up to show how it would have looked. Even the old diesel generators are in place, giving an idea of the power needed to run the fort.
Well lit with well maintained walkways, the tunnels were easy to walk through with some good photographic opportunities. Stairs in several areas are steep, but not very long, so should not be a problem for most people. Unfortunately, people with mobility issues will not be able to take the underground tour.
Dummy Shells in the MagazineUnderground Diesel Generator in the North Head TunnelsThe TunnelsNorth Head Tunnels
Food and Drinks
At the end of the tour, you can also walk down to the restaurant for food and beverages.
What Did We Think
North Head is a great place to visit, as it covers, Sydney’s history, with fantastic views and bush walks. Being easy to get to either by public transport or car makes it a great day out.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
The Paris Catacombs are part of the former mine tunnels that riddle the underground of Paris. Originally used to mine the stone used to build many of the city’s buildings, a lack of burial space in the city cemeteries led to the bones of six million people being placed in the disused tunnels between 1786 and 1788.
How to Get To The Paris Catacombs
Entrance is via Place Denfert-Rochereau. We used the Metro to get there, getting off at Denfert-Rochereau.
Booking Tickets
If you go in peak season and do not pre-book your ticket, the wait in line can be up to four hours. Alternatively you can book a skip the line ticket and wait in this shorter line. These options allow you to pace yourself around the catacombs, using a set of headphones and recorded commentary.
We took the more expensive option of a guided tour. This allows a definite start time, with a guaranteed no waiting in line. The professional guide also provides excellent information as you go, as well as access to areas the general entry patrons cannot access, as they are behind locked gates.
Access to the Paris Catacombs
There is no disabled access to this site, as entry and exit are via spiral stairways. Once in however, the tour travels along fairly good pathways, although they are made of dirt / stone and can be wet and slippery in places. The tunnels can be quite low, so tall people may find it a bit discomforting to walk around bent over for part of the tour.
What You See
The first part of the tour covers old tunnels, where you can see place holders for the above streets. This is all quite interesting, but the tour really takes off when you see the ossuaries. The sheer quantity of bones and how they have been placed is amazing. At this point the guide left us to walk through by ourselves in silence. As you pass through the necropolis, you are also asked to be quiet and respectful of the dead.
Bones in the Catacombs
Paris Catacombs
The Underground Necropolis Paris Catacombs
Skulls and Bones in the Paris Catacombs
The tour lasted two hours. As with many tours, it exits through a gift shop.
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