fort scratchley

perhaps as an ex-gunner i am a little biased but i like these old forts.the fort dominates the harbour entrance and if nothing else is worth the walk for the view.

You can do this for free or better still take a guided tour. Apart from its historical importance and the military memorabilia, you get great views over the Hunter river and it's worth visiting from that perspective alone.

great guides with real life experience and knowledge. the history was very new to us and the work done to restore the guns and buildings adds to the experience

Volunteers make this free tour a must. We did tunnel tour for small admittance fee and this added to interest, Surprised by importance of protection to harbour, our brief visit went for two hours. Great views and a must visit if not been here.

For me this visit was much more than I expected. I would say definitely put this facility on your list of places to see. It has spectacular 360 degree views at the mouth of the Hunter River. You can visit the site for free or as we did pay the small price of $7.00 (Seniors) to have a guide take you down into the tunnels and gun emplacement areas. Firstly we found all the guides so welcoming, informative and passionate about what they do. We found out things about WWII that we had never heard of. You need to go there to find out for yourself about the Japanese submarine that actually had a seaplane on board. There is a replica and drawing of it in the Museum section which is free. Uniforms from different eras and other items to see are all there to see. Thanks to the guides who make this place come alive! It was fascinating to see the various cannons and how they worked. The brave people that operated underground with only special lamp light deserve our thanks for what they did for our Country. To finish off our tour we watched a small cannon fired at 1.00 pm so put this on your list of places to visit. Absolute value for money to do the tour or walk around for free.

What a great place to spend a couple of hours. we took the tunnel tour. The tour guide was a wealth of information which we thoroughly enjoyed. Even though my husband has to use a wheelie walker, he was able to get about the other buildings and see lots of things. The view from the fort is magnificent. we saw many ships coming in to unload or be loaded so the little tugs were going flat out. The firing of the 1.00pm gun every day is not to be missed so get you camera ready and don't blink! Don't forget to check out the history of the Japanese submarine which attacked Newcastle and Fort Scratchley's subsequent return of gun fire!

We hadn't been to Fort Scratchley since it had undergone a major renovation. Admission is free if you just want to walk around above ground and look at the guns and the museum displays. We decided to go on the tour of the tunnels. This had a minimal charge. Our guide was terrific. He had a vast knowledge of the weaponry and the fort and the way of life at that time. The tour took about an hour and a half and we certainly learnt heaps.The view over Newcastle, the foreshore and Nobbys is worth the visit in itself. A great day out!

I took my friend from Queensland to Fort Scratchley in Newcastle and we both had the time of our lives....the guide on the tour of the tunnels was very informative and answered all the questions about the fort that were asked...he was able to tell us about the Japanese sub that tried to get into the Newcastle port and the firing of the guns that sent it running...we had a look into all the soldiers accommodation with heaps of history to read and objects that have been donated to their museum...we heard an old radio broadcast telling us Australia is at war and the memorabilia was fantastic and I think that it would be really good if some of the younger generation heard it and would be able to wonder how the men women and children would have felt hearing that we are at war......I CANT FORGET ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF THE TOUR... the women in the canteen / souvenir shop (Margot and Jeni) they were great they talked with us and we joked and laughed about many things they kept our things safe in the fridge for us as we are both diabetics and it was a hot day and we were unable to take food or drink in the tunnel only water..these women were a funny pair as well as the stories my friend and i shared with them..they fire the canon every day at 1pm (except Tuesday because they are closed) and if you are lucky enough you can get a great pic of the canon firing ...I only have a little camera but was jumping for joy when I saw my pic...please take the time to go here ...you wont forget it ...you only pay for the tunnels ands it is very minimal cost but all the rest of it is free with a beautiful 360 degree view of Newcastle the surrounding waters and light house city and churches

FORT SCRATCHLEY is the only Fort in Australia to have engaged the enemy in a Maritme attack in WW11.It has been restored and is a fascinating place to spend a couple of hours . We joined the Full site and Tunnel tour.The guide told us the History of the Fort. There were young children [under 10] on our tour and they were just as fascinated as the adults. We were there at Midday and saw the the small cannon being fired .The view of Newcastles beaches alone is worth a visit and on a clear day you can see right up Stockton Beach as well as all of Newcastle Harbour.The volunteer Guides really love the place and are happy to spend time talking about the Fort.There is limited free parking inside the Forts Gate .

The Fort has been and is continually under renovation. Not only is the Fort a place to see how we were supposed to be protected from attack, the gun emplacements, the barracks, the tunnels (Magazines for ammo storage) etc, but also a remarkable place to see a 360 degree view of Newcastle. It provides a great view of the coal loaders and city beaches and is close to the Hunter St Mall where you can shop or have a beverage and a feed.I was impressed with the volunteer guides and staff, all well presented in current Army uniform or Fort Paraphernalia, who are all well informed and helpful.Great way to spend an hour or so.....and please feel free to make a donation so that this living museum will continue!!

I went just to take photos from the great view at the top of the fort but there were volunteer guides on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Nobody realises Newcastle looks like this. The sea, the beaches and the city are Magnificat. The big guns are great - the only coastal guns in Australia to have fired in anger on an enemy vessel.

Great for history buffs like myself and staff will give you plenty of insight into life in World War II vintage Newcastle. Staff very knowledgeable but sadly my visit was soured by one that was a little overzealous in his measures to restrict visitors from certain areas.

This is not in the scope of old world fortifications, but in Australia actually fired shots at the enemy, Japanese submarines in WW II. Run by volunteers, their long hours of re-creating its historical period. Great position to see over the beautiful harbour and the northern beaches.

Great for everyone. Enjoy a bit of our history on this magnificent site. Something not to be missed when visiting Newcastle