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NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

South Head tunnels tour

Sydney Harbour National Park

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Discover historic tunnels carved out of the sandstone beneath South Head, Sydney Harbour National Park, on this 1.8km guided tour.

2024 dates:

Sunday 23 June, Thursday 11 July, Sunday 4 August, Sunday 1 and 29 September and Sunday 3 and 24 November.

Sunday 7 April, Friday 19 April, Sunday 19 May 2024 have SOLD OUT.

2025 dates :

Sunday 16 March, 6 April, 4 May and 1 June.

Tours run from 10.30am to 11.15am, 11.30am to 12.15pm and 12.30pm to 1.15 pm.

Adult $25 per person. Concession $20 per person.

South Head was a key location in the defence of Sydney Harbour from the 1870s until World War II. During this tour you'll explore the rarely opened tunnels carved out of the sandstone beneath South Head. These tunnels led to the magazines where gun powder was stored. We'll also explore the gun emplacements where that gun powder was used. During your tour you'll learn about the tragic sinking of the Dunbar, in which 121 people perished. We'll also find out about Hornby Lighthouse, which was constructed to prevent future shipwrecks.

It's a good idea to bring walking shoes, a torch, and clothes to suit the weather.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

• National Parks Contact Centre
• 7am to 7pm daily
• 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
• [email protected]

Operated by

• NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
• in Sydney Harbour National Park in the Sydney and surrounds region

Sydney Harbour National Park is open sunrise to sunset but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.

Park entry fees:

Bradleys Head: $8 per vehicle per day. North Head: $5 per vehicle per day. Tap and pay card or phone payments accepted at pay machines. Coin payment available at Fairfax carpark machines only. Chowder Bay: Monday-Friday: $3 per hour, to a maximum of $16 per day. Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays: $4 per hour, to a maximum of $20 per day. If you hold an NPWS All Parks or Multi Parks Pass, you can park free for up to four hours per day - additional time can be purchased. Car parks operated by Sydney Harbour Federation Trust or Mosman Council are not covered by your pass. Please check signs carefully. Park’nPay: You can also pay for your visit to any area via the Park’nPay app .

Other fees:

Landing fees or tour fees apply to visit Sydney Harbour islands. All public visitors to Shark, Clark or Rodd Island, need to pay a $7 per person landing fee. To arrange, please contact 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS). Annual NSW Parks Passes do not cover landing fees.

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• tunnels and gunners tour

Tunnels and Gunners Tour

Featuring gun emplacements, underground tunnels and other military relics dating back to the 1870s, Georges Heights at Headland Park, Mosman once played a crucial role in the defence of Sydney Harbour.

During their 90-minute Tunnels and Gunners Tour, an experienced volunteer guide will lead you through two sets of demilitarised fortifications set within coastal bushland, including tunnels off limits to the general public. The tour concludes at the Headland Park Artist Precinct, which is home to a thriving community of painters, potters, sculptors and photographers.

The all-ages Tunnels and Gunners Tour runs the first Sunday of every month.

Accessibility

Does not cater for people with access needs.

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The Kid Bucket List

Travelling with Kids – Adventure isn't just about the plane trips!

Sydney’s Abandoned Military Forts | Secret Bunkers, Tunnels and More!

Ever since white Europeans arrived in Sydney there has been a constant fear that other white people will arrive on boats and claim the land for themselves. 

With the threat of the Spanish, the French, the Russians, and then the Japanese sailing into Sydney Harbour, a number of forts were constructed around the headlands to defend our city. 

Whilst now decommissioned, self and guided tours of these historic spaces provide a glimpse into Australia’s military past, the scandals and the hidden secrets. The city is brimming with abandoned military forts to discover. 

Scattered across the Sydney headlands, these forts, bunkers and tunnels are quite interesting to explore with the kids and provide a segway to discussing Australian history, or even Australian movie history with a number of these sites as the backdrop to many big movies.

The Most Impressive Military Fortifications to Visit in Sydney

Table of Contents

North Head Fortifications

The North Head Fortifications were established in 1936 at North Head Sanctuary in Manly. Built on the northern entrance of Sydney Harbour, the fortifications formed part of a 300km defence system that ran along the NSW coastline during World War II.  It is an incredible Sydney abandoned military fort to explore. 

In use until 1952, the North Fort Battery feature two 9.2 inch calibre guns which were serviced by a network of underground tunnels. They were capable of firing a distance of 26.4 kilometres with the target coordinates relayed from the nearby Plotting Room. 

The Plotting Room was built 8 metres underground and was both concrete reinforces and bomb proof. Confusingly, it consisted of two rooms:  the Fortress Plotting Room (FPR) and the smaller Battery Plotting Room (BPR).

The best way to explore the North Head Fortifications is via the Defense of Sydney tour where you will be guided through the tunnels and to the many spaces. 

Middle Head Fortifications

The Middle Head Fortifications were first established in 1801 as a gun emplacement in response to the Napoleonic Wars, and the last batteries were constructed in 1942. 

Today, the fortifications consist of the Outer Middle Head Battery which is located at the end of Old Fort Road, the Inner Middle Head Battery which is located at the end of Governors Road, and the Obelisk batteries which can be reached by a path from the corner of Middle Head Road and Chowder Bay Road.

The entire complex is linked by underground tunnels and ancillary rooms. The gun pits and tiger cages were used as training space for those heading to Vietnam to resist torture. 

Whilst you can explore Middle Head Fortifications by yourself you will only be able to tour the underground tunnels via a tour. Tours are limited between June and September because the tunnels are occupied by bent-wing bats that hibernate there.

Head to National Parks NSW to book your tour. 

Bradleys Head Fortifications

It is said that back in 1839, four American warships arrived in Sydney Harbour undetected prompting the construction of Bradleys Head Fortifications by convicts.  A circular parapet was added to ease Sydney’s protection.

The mast from the HMAS Sydney was later installed as a monument to the WWI warship. There’s also a s stone column from the original General Post Office in Sydney which marks a distance of one nautical mile from Fort Denison.

A firing wall and a single cannon mount were built in the 1840s by Governor Gipps without British Government approval (naughty, naughty). These are located alongside the HMAS Sydney mast. 

Further along, the hill towards the Taronga Zoo entrance are the fortifications that were built in the 1870s. These comprise a series of tunnels, a powder magazine, gun emplacements including three mounted cannons, and a second firing wall. 

You will find the Bradleys Head Fortifications just south of Taronga Zoo .

Georges Head Beehive Casemate

Construction of the Georges Head Beehive Casemate commenced in 1871 under the supervision of colonial architect James Barnet. 

The fortification contains three domed chambers,  used as gun emplacements, each featuring a small opening or window for the gun to fire through with each window looking out towards the Sydney Heads. The underground chambers were made of brick and mortar and were built into the excavated cavities in the sandstone bedrock. 

South Head Fortifications

We discovered the South Head Fortifications when exploring the Hornby Lighthouse . Construction on these fortifications commenced in 1841, and was completed in 1854, accelerated by the threats of the Crimean War. 

During World War II, a number of tunnels were built to link HMAS Watson to a wharf used to offload military supplies at Camp Cove. These tunnels are quite deep and rather labyrinthine, their entrances today are blocked by steel doors.

Regular public tours are available where you can explore the tunnels carved out of the sandstone (1.8 kilometres). Head to the South Head Fortifications tour webpage for full details.

Bare Island Fort

The Bare Island Fort was constructed in the early 1880s to protect Sydney. It continued to be operational up until 1908 when it was turned into Australia’s very first war veteran’s home. 

Bare Island is featured in Mission Impossible. 

Public Tours of the Bare Island Fort occur each Sunday. Head to the Bare Island guided tour webpage to book. 

Other Military Forts, Bunkers and Tunnels to Explore

Steel Point Battery | Fort Denison | Cape Banks Fortifications | Signal Hill Fortifications | Ben Buckler Gun Battery | Dawes Point Battery | Fort Banks | Henry Head Battery | Malabar Battery

Make sure to visit Parramatta’s Lancer Barracks !

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Does anyone know if these tours still run?

I believe the tour you refer to was to commemorate the 90th anniversary of our underground tunnels. I know that they are run occasionally because I went on a tour many years ago. Unfortunately I can't tell you which organisation ran it or how often they occur.

FYI the tunnels were started for future rail lines but never completed.

Q Station Ghost Tours

http://SydneyGhostTour.Com

thanks but ive done those before. haha

Do you have any links to websites, or info on where these underground ghost tours are held?

I assume Matt's talking about the incomplete tunnels at St James Station.

https://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/sydneyopen

Check the website from time to time for any announcements. Any spots are limited and can go very quickly.

Visits to the Tank Stream are run by ballot.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Head underground to explore Sydney's first fresh water source

If you've ever wanted to walk The Tank Stream, Sydney's first water source, here's your chance.

The tour, available only twice a year, takes you through 60 metres of this state heritage-listed tunnel built by convicts and stonemasons.

The stream was a vital source of life for the First Fleeters and the First Australians before them.

Captain Arthur Phillip chose Circular Quay as the birthplace of the new colony in part because of the freshwater stream running into the harbour from a swamp at the western end of what is now Hyde Park.

It had supplied fresh water and fish to the original Gadigal People for tens of thousands of years and served as the main fresh water supply for the first 40 years of Sydney's European life.

But by the early 1800s its waters were so polluted the colonists had stopped drinking from them. In time it became a sewer, still emptying into the harbour.

As the city grew up around the stream, it was covered over with sandstone blocks.

Today, The Tank Stream lies underground, a stormwater channel managed by Sydney Water.

Admission on the tour is by ballot registration only. Winners of the ballot have the chance to buy up to two tickets ($40 each).

For more information and to enter the ballot, click HERE ​

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The Rocks Walking Tours

Historical walking tours in sydney, australia, explore sydney with the rocks walking tours.

The Rocks holds a unique place in Sydney’s colonial history as the birthplace of European Australia. An essential visitor destination, The Rocks promises to be a memorable Sydney experience.

Hear the legends and history of Sydney as you stroll the shoreline of the sparkling Sydney Harbour and wander down hidden alleyways, shady courtyards, and cobbled lanes. Discover what makes The Rocks tick on a Sydney heritage walk.

Featured Walking Tours

Daily Tours

Discover the rich history of The Rocks on one of our informative and entertaining tours, departing daily at 10.30 a.m. & 1.30 p.m.

Private Tours

With over thirty years of experience, we create bespoke tours through The Rocks that cater to your special requirements.

Educational Program

We offer primary and secondary school groups comprehensive educational programs via guided walking tours.

The Rocks Walking Tour, established in 1978, is the oldest Sydney guided walking tour, and in fact, it’s the oldest in Australia.

In 1978, four friends with a passion for Sydney and its rich history had the dream of sharing that story. They knew that Sydney’s historic Rocks district would best tell the British story from the day they arrived in Sydney Cove, 26 January 1788.

After personally researching the historical material, writing the tours, developing and reviewing the routes they were ready to go.

Over 800+ Reviews on TripAdvisor

I thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour today. Vickie, our guide was incredible knowledgeable, and brought the history to life. She was very thoughtful about the needs of her group and answered all questions with considerable ease. would thoroughly recommend.

Anne went above and beyond in giving us a tour of The Rocks. She had wonderful stories, a book of photos and answered all of our many questions. She even accommodated a couple using a walker offering then alternate routes to get them to our next to if there were stairs. it was our first trip to Sydney so it have us some historical context.

I highly recommend this tour. Even though I had explored the area a lot, I learned about some really out of the way places. Learning the European history perspective was really informative. Our Guide Brian was incredible! Thank you!

Such an informative tour- I Grew up in Sydney and Julie's commentary was a mix of things that I had forgotten and things that were new- she was fantastic. A Tour well worth taking

"The tour is fairly short about 1.5 hours. Brian has been doing the tour for many years and was a wealth of knowledge. You don't cover a lot of area but do get a lot of information. I would definitely recommend this tour!"

"We really enjoyed the Rocks tour, loved hearing about the history of this fascinating area. The guide was excellent and really bought the stories to life - absolutely recommended."

"If you are interested in history, this is a great way to start your Sydney trip. Our guide was knowledgable and friendly. Highly recommended."

"We had a wonderful couple of hours with our guide Anne, funny and informative. A very useful insight into early Sydney and The Rocks."

"If you are traveling to Sydney this is a must, I have been to Sydney hundreds of times and on this tour, I learned some new things and I saw parts of Sydney I have not seen before."

There is no better way to get up close and personal with the story of Sydney.

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St James Ghost Tunnel Tours

To celebrate 90 years of Australia’s first underground railway, lucky members of the public can be part of a guided tour of the "ghost" platforms and tracks of St James Station. They were never put to use, but were used as air-raid shelters during World War Two.

Sydney Trains will also run a fleet of vintage electric trains through the city underground on the day.

Each tour is 60 minutes long (15-minute introduction, 45 minutes underground tour).

Enter the ballot here for your chance to go deep underground Sydney.

Winners of the ballot will be notified on Monday November 21.

sydneytrains.info/about/heritage/events

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Subterranean Sydney: Eerie underground world right beneath the CBD

LOCKED away under the hustle and bustle of Sydney lies an extensive network of non-operational train platforms, tunnels, tracks and subterranean lakes.

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LOCKED away under the hustle and bustle of Sydney’s major train stations lies an extensive network of train platforms, tunnels and tracks that were completed in the 1920s but have never been operational.

During the construction of the City Circle and Central to North Sydney railways lines, additional tunnels and platforms were built in the CBD for proposed routes to Bondi and the Northern Beaches, to prevent disruption at a later date to existing services.

The labyrinth extends one kilometre in each of two directions from St James Station, about 30 metres below Hyde Park and past the Cahill Expressway entrance off Macquarie Street.

It was one of the first underground stations in Australia, completed in 1926, but the plan to continue works on additional lines was canned when the Great Depression hit.

The site has since led “a colourful life”, serving as a bomb shelter during WWII, a mushroom farm, film set, an Army training ground and a dark playground illegally accessed by secret societies who practice witchcraft and black magic.

RARE LOOK INSIDE TUNNELS

Sydney trains executive director Tony Eid takes us on an a rare tour of the tunnels via an unassuming door that creaks open with the turn of a key in the station’s main terminal.

An influence based on a fusion of the London tube and New York City transit is immediately clear in the green and cream tiled walls.

The network was designed by Dr John Bradfield, perhaps best known for his work on the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

A dusty ghost platform is lined with rows of gumboots, organised according to size, for those who dare to plunge into the wet, dark depths of the tunnels below.

“They built these platforms up ready to go and if you look around you, you can see the old heritage signs that used to be there, the archways ready to go, the posters to put stuff on, the track bed to lay the tracks and then the actual platforms,” Mr Eid says.

Armed with torches we walk down a flight of stairs, onto the track bed, and towards high security steel gates which require a passcode to open. The only way from there to the tunnels is to wade through corridors of knee-deep water which eventually opens to the first of several huge, flooded chambers. It boasts a dome-shaped roof and a bell — once used to replicate the sound of Big Ben for a film — in the centre.

An entry on the other side of the room leads to a series of narrow passageways that zigzag from one tunnel to the next. It’s hauntingly silent.

“It gets a little bit spooky from here,” Mr Eid says.

Deeper into the tunnels, thick concrete tunnels are ravaged by thirsty tree roots that have made their way through the earth and architecture in search of the clear freshwater lakes that infiltrate the subterranean maze.

“You don’t know true darkness until you’ve turned your torches off in here,” Mr Eid tells us before signalling for us to momentarily do just that.

But under the glare of torch light is a sight to behold. Tree roots dangle from the ceiling like ancient cob webs and mounds of a snow white crystallised fungus glisten where the water laps the walls.

‘A COLOURFUL LIFE’

If the walls in this mysterious underground could talk they would tell of a spellbinding past.

“It’s had a very colourful life,” Mr Eid says.

The St James tunnels were transformed into a bomb shelter during WWII with hand-poured concrete slabs “about 300mm thick” poured over iron rods and built into the space to withstand explosions from above and within.

The shelters were to fit 20,000 people in the event of air raids. Armed soldiers guarded the site throughout WWII, ready to maintain law and order if the masses suddenly sought cover and protection.

They were positioned in 10ft “man holes” built high into the walls of the tunnels.

“It would have been quite eerie to look up and see a soldier standing up there in the man hole, staring down with a rifle,” Mr Eid says.

“(If the shelter had been used) it would have been noisy, there were made up beds for people to sit on but would have been frightening with dim light, low quality air, and all that stuff they would have had to deal with.”

Many of the soldiers thought they’d die in the tunnels because of poor conditions and limited oxygen. Their messages and inscriptions for loves ones can still be seen on the walls.

“I love you. My dearest darling wife Robyn Foreman,” one message reads.

“NX 227672. Pte. R.J DePaul. 13-7-42,” another says.

The end of the tunnels are met with walls of rubble and exposed steel from when the army was instructed to destroy the shelters post war. But they didn’t get far before the operation was pulled. The bulk of the underground was subsequently preserved.

“If you look up at the destruction of the tunnels it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie,” Mr Eid says.

“You can imagine zombies coming at you or whatever in here.”

The eerie setting is one of many reasons film and TV producers and directors are drawn to the area. It’s highest claim to fame came when scenes from blockbuster movie The Matrix were filmed there in 1999.

More than a decade later, Australian film The Tunnel, was also filmed in the underground passage. The plot involves a film crew that goes underground to investigate why homeless people are going missing. A lake monster kills the crew off one by one.

In 1949, the site was home to a thriving mushroom farm, producing 4000 tonnes of the fungi.

“There have been a lot of stories about it also filling up as a water tank,” Mr Eid says.

Several urban legends have arisen from the tunnels, including that of an albino eel said to reside in the St James tunnel lake.

The temptation to explore the area and its legends has proved too hard to resist for many who have risked fines and jail by breaking into the tunnels.

A torch light is shone on a pitch black wall, revealing a graffiti pentagram — a symbol of Satan,

a skeleton cross, and a heart on fire.

“It represents hell,” Mr Eid says.

“This is where seances were apparently taking effect.”

Australian group the Cave Clan regularly breaks into and meets deep down in various underworlds — including storm drains and St James station tunnels — across the country.

Started by three teenagers from Melbourne in 1986, the underground society now has chapters in each of Australia’s main cities.

One graffiti tag inside the St James Tunnels reads: “Cave Clan from Melbourne. Except for Predator from Sydney”.

The vandals cop hefty fines if caught.

The clandestine group is often the subject of many rumours: they’re a gothic band; a graffiti crew; perform bizarre rituals and are on the run from the law.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve alarmed the place so there are invisible sensors within here that will trigger off alarms to our control centre,” Mr Eid says.

“And we’ve upgraded security systems so there’s a big steel cage at the only entrance into these tunnels.

“Whereas on the other side at night time several occasions they will run on the tracks and penetrate their way through the tunnels.

“But that’s now all been sealed off.

“We still get it but not a lot. And every time we do get a penetration of vandals, it triggers an alarm, and we send our people there to get them out.”

The Cave Clan isn’t the only arm of society the station’s custodians are concerned about.

Mr Eid says the current climate of terror risks has meant security has been made tighter than ever before.

“The NSW Library and Parliament are above so we just can’t risk putting those places in danger,” he says.

Today, the tunnels are often used by the Army as a “playground” for “familiarisation training”.

There are currently no plans to develop the site or reopen the tunnels to the public.

“We’re very proud to be the custodians of this,” Mr Eid says.

“We have to preserve this. It’s part of our history, it’s played a significant role in Sydney.”

The St James Station tunnels are open to the public during the Sydney Open event in November. Only a limited number of tickets are made available each year. Sydney Trains is also currently running a competition for winners to go on an exclusive guided tour of the tunnels in August.

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900 Metres Of Wynyard’s Railway Tunnels Are Opening For Vivid Sydney

With Vivid Sydney running from Friday, May 26 to Sunday, July 16, locals are once again prepping to see their hometown decked in all sorts of eccentric light shows and packed with both live music and talks for the annual festival of lights, music and ideas. And as always, aesthetics count for a lot, with numerous visual elements packed into areas like Circular Quay, The Goods Line and The Rocks.

Yet, as long as the festival has been running, no participating artists have maximised Sydney’s series of (unused) underground railway tunnels. That’ll change in 2023, as a ticketed installation called Dark Spectrum comes to take over 900 metres of Wynyard’s railway tunnels. Helmed by Vivid Sydney in collaboration with Sony Music, Mandylights and Culture Creative, the series of tunnels will be split into eight distinctive rave rooms of lasers and booming EDM soundtracks.

These tunnels aren’t usually open to the public – to be fair, neither are the utilised railway tunnels – so this will be a very rare opportunity to see a part of Sydney that’s long been cut off from society. Expect a program of lasers, hidden passageways, vibrant soundtracks and good ol’ fashioned (civilised) raves.

Each of the rooms will be themed around “the human experience” with pillars including separation, constriction, construction, connection, the unseen and pressure. Construction, for example, will have 150 LED pipes hanging from the roof, while Pressure will have 50 archways covered in lights and mirrors, and Interaction will be distinguished by hanging string lights and illuminated plants that respond to human movement.

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Have your say, defence of sydney tour.

• $11 per adult
• $8 per child
• $8 per concession
• $8 per senior
• Times: 10:30am, 11:30am, 1pm and 2pm every Sunday 
• Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Group tours also available (Mon-Fri)

North Head Sanctuary Visitor Centre (located in the North Fort precinct), North Head Scenic Drive, Manly, NSW 2095

Strategically placed at the northern entrance to Sydney Harbour, the fort was part of a defence system that spanned 300km of coastline during the Second World War.

The Defence of Sydney Tour is an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the men and women who served at North Fort. Accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, you will marvel at heritage gun emplacements, once capable of firing 26.4km, and descend into the 200-metre-long military tunnel complex. Finally, our guide will demystify an underground bunker once shrouded in secrecy: The Plotting Room. As you explore this facility, concealed within bushland, you’ll hear how our specialist volunteers faithfully restored it.

Request a group tour

Want to arrange a Defence of Sydney Tour for a large group? Request a group tour using the webform on this page.

Subject to guide availability, we accept private group bookings from Monday to Friday. To request a private group tour, complete the form on this page.

Note: Bookings are required no fewer than 10 business days in advance of the requested date. All enquiries will receive a response within 5 business days. 

Step 1 of 4

Planning to book a tour? For a hassle-free experience, refer to the information below ahead of your trip.

• Weather conditions: This tour will proceed regardless of weather conditions except in the event of extreme weather. If the Rural Fire Service declares an extreme or catastrophic fire danger rating for the Greater Sydney Region (area 4), tours will be cancelled. Participants will be notified via email if the tour is cancelled and a full refund of the ticket price will be made. 
• To ensure the safety of participants and Harbour Trust staff, at the discretion of the Harbour Trust, any participant(s) who appears intoxicated, disruptive or displays consistently unsafe behaviour, will not be permitted to take part in the tour, and / or may be asked to leave the tour at any time. Refunds will not be provided.
• Cancellation / rescheduling: The Harbour Trust reserves the right to cancel, reschedule or alter tour dates and routes at its discretion. In instances where tours are cancelled or rescheduled, the Harbour Trust will endeavour to contact all pre-booked ticket holders, within a reasonable amount of time prior to the scheduled tour date and time. If the tour is cancelled by the Harbour Trust at its discretion, the Customer may contact the Harbour Trust and reschedule or seek a refund.
• First Nations peoples: Our First Nations community are advised that this tour contains stories (and may contain images and/or visuals) of deceased persons.
• Site conditions: This tour includes steep stairs and underground tunnels and some uneven surfaces, and it is not suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. A moderate level of fitness and mobility is required. You must comply with all directions of the guides, rangers and security. Although this is an all-ages tour, children must be able to walk and negotiate stairs independently due to the requirement to traverse steep and narrow staircases. Further, our safety requirements prevent ticketholders from carrying children in carriers or baby capsules on this tour.
• Safety: All visitors must comply with the safety directives issued by guides, rangers and security staff.
• Age restriction: People under 18 must be accompanied by an adult

Suitable walking shoes, a sunhat and wet weather gear (if needed). Please provide your own torch for the tunnels (phone torch is adequate). Please note: This tour has high touch points including hand rails and includes entry into confined spaces. As such, we recommend providing own hand sanitiser and wearing a face mask.

For information about getting to the North Fort, including by public transport, see: Visit North Head Sanctuary . This webpage also contains information on visitor parking and public facilities.

To exchange your ticket(s) or request a refund, please contact our ticket solutions provider, Ticketbooth, via their support webpage: support.ticketbooth.com.au/contact/

Helpful links

Want to learn more about North Head Sanctuary, including North Fort and the Third Quarantine Cemetery? You may find these links useful.

The Secret Military History of Manly's North Fort Plotting Room

Visit north head sanctuary, the history of north head sanctuary, historical people, the extraordinary places managed by the sydney harbour federation trust have significance on a national and international scale. located in first nations countries, they are places of natural beauty, and feature heritage structures and remnants from different eras. our vision is to create, amplify, and make accessible the values of our destinations..

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Visit Sydney Australia

Lost Railways: City Circle Railway Tunnels

• Sydney's First Public Railway
• Planning Sydney's Suburban Railway Network
• Building Sydney's Suburban Railway Network
• Building Sydney's City Circle
• Forgotten Tunnels on the City Circle
• Sydney's Central Station
• Sydney's Abandoned Railway Lines
• Sydney's Railway Tunnels
• Sydney's Abandoned Railway Tunnels
• Eveleigh Railway Workshops
• Major Railway Accidents

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• PRIVATE TOURS
• SELF-GUIDED AUDIO TOURS
• AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL
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Sydney’s Convict Colony – A Walking History Tour of The Rocks

Explore this city’s notorious colonial beginnings as we unpack its colourful convict heritage in the rocks & quay.

Approx. 2.5 hours

Generally starting at 10:30 am.

Convict History, Crime Stories and Colonial structures 

Customs House (right hand-side in front of the building) 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay

About sydney’s convict colony — walking history tour.

Fascinating history, delivered with energy and insight as we uncover the scallywag stories of convicts, colonists, soldiers, sailors, larrikins, legends, rum and rebellions!

TOUR TASTER:   

Once upon a time (not so long ago), a bizarre colonial experiment took place on the rocky shores of Sydney’s ancient Indigenous harbour. Thousands of miles from home, England’s banished thieves were locked in a prison with ocean walls; forced to find food and cut through stone.

Defying the odds, their shanty camp survived and grew—clutching to life on the banks of a freshwater stream. Gardens were grown, goods were traded & rum soon ranked as both currency & cure.

As centuries changed, The Rocks was carved into cottages and corridors. Scallywags sailed into shore. Larrikins lurked in the laneways & many a clever convict swapped their chains for riches.

Journey Walks invites you to share a part in this remarkable story. This tour will keep your ears pricked, your eyes open and your passion for the past brought to life.

While focussed on The Rocks district, your Journey Walk will include important relics and remains around Circular Quay such as those tucked away at Macquarie Place and hidden beneath the foreshore of Sydney’s original Cove— you will also venture inside Customs House to discover what’s hiding under its glass floor. In The Rocks, expect hidden cobblestone alleyways, charming sandstone ruins, historic pubs and heritage protected houses that make up Sydney’s most infamous historical quarter.

PUBLIC TOUR COSTS:

$49.00  Adult.   $44.00   Concession.

Minimum 2x people onboard for tour to run *

Maximum 14x people on tour group **

* Please Note: our reservation system will open up to single bookings once the initial 2x person minimum group sized has been reached for each tour date. If your are a single guest and would like to make a pending order that will be confirmed once other orders have been received for a certain date then please contact us.

**   Private Groups: are available for groups up to 32 people per guide. Please contact us if you wish to organise a private group tour for speciality rates and itineraries.

BOOK TOUR NOW

PRIVATE TOUR COSTS:

Private group rate for 2 – 8 people = $390       

Private group rate for 8+ people =   email us your request

WATCH A TRAILER FOR THIS TOUR 

ON THE JOURNEY

Your walking tour will cover:.

• Indigenous Sydney: The harbour and its ancient clans
• Why were the convicts sent here? A clear context to transportation
• The voyage, landing and mishaps of the First Fleet
• Early Interaction with local Aboriginal people
• Sydney’s hidden fresh water stream and its secrets
• Surviving relics and monuments from the penal years
• The birth of ‘The Rocks’ as a convict settlement
• Starvation, sickness and struggles at the first hospital
• Hidden corridors & cobblestone laneways for larrikins
• The notorious rum trade and the rebellion of 1808
• Sydney’s oldest cottage & surviving Georgian architecture
• Secret sandstone ruins and hidden gold-rush history
• The rise & fall of the infamous convict-architect
• Street gangs, their schemes & their hide outs in The Rocks
• What happened when the black plague came to town
• A visit inside Customs House and the Argyle Stores
• Models, maps and murals of old & new Sydney town
• Historic Pubs & underground Doss Houses
• Any question you have answered on the spot

YOUR GUIDE: 

This tour is led by local historians who specialise in the art of storytelling and guiding groups through time and space. expect history with a sense of humour and the kind of juicy detail that brings the past back to life. learn more about our expert team of  tour guides..

 EXTRA INFORMATION:

• Tours last approximately 2.5 hours and covers approximately 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
• This tour moves at an easy-going pace and visits approximately 20 historic stops.
• While mostly on flat ground, several staircases are included in our walk due to the layout of The Rocks — Unfortunately this prevents mobility for prams or wheelchairs
• Our small group tours are generally limited to a 14 adult maximum, additional younger guests may be accepted but please contact to double check.
• This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age as it involves adult content, 2.5 hours of walking & talking history (which can often be little much for our younger guests) but please be in contact or use parental discretion for any exceptions to this recommendation.
• Concession tickets are available for high school students aged 12-18 years old, university students or pensioners.
• Your guide is a native English speaker with a clear voice & will present relevant images as visual aids from an A3 tour folder throughout the tour.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this tour may include the names and images of people who are now deceased.

MEETING POINT:

• Your tour guide will meet you in front of  Customs House  at Circular Quay  (31 Alfred St, Sydney 2000)  
• Your tour guide will be standing with a white tour folder saying  CONVICT HISTORY TOUR on the right hand-side of the Customs House building.
• Your guide will be located at the meeting spot at least 10-15 minutes  before your tour is scheduled to begin, they will be wearing a blue Journey Walks shirt and will have white tour folder.
• Please arrive at least 5 minutes before your tour begins to check-in with your guide so we can start as a group on time.
• If you are running late then please make contact with your guide via call or text to update them on your location +61421269240.
• If you are running more than 5- 10 minutes late we may have to start the tour group without you and may be unable to be contacted while on the move. In this case, we will try to reschedule your booking but we do not offer refunds.
•  Seating, shelter and public restrooms are available next to our meeting location.
• The ending place for the this tour is less that 10 minutes walk from the original meeting place in the heart of the Rocks near the Argyle Cut.

Booking for Sydney’s Convict Colony – A Walking History Tour of The Rocks

• The Historyteller
• Self-guided Audio To urs

Rozelle Interchange soon to open 24 kilometres of underground tunnels to Sydney drivers

It's one of the most complicated underground interchanges ever built – and in the next week or so, 100,000 Sydney drivers will begin navigating it as part of their daily commute.

The Rozelle Interchange consists of 24 kilometres of tunnels twisting around each other deep below ground.

It funnels cars in and out of a dozen different entrances and exits that connect the City West Link, the Iron Cove Bridge, the Anzac Bridge and the M4-M8 Link between St Peters and Haberfield.

By 2028, it will also link up to the planned Western Harbour Tunnel.

But drivers are being assured that navigating the route will be as simple as following the signs, and they'll only need to decide between two choices at any point.

How does ours stack up against the world's wildest?

There are plenty of other spaghetti junctions around the world that would probably beat the Rozelle Interchange for the title of the world's wackiest.

The High Five Interchange in Dallas, Texas is a five-level stack interchange rising as tall as a 12-storey building — it includes a mind-blowing 43 bridges.

China has more than its fair share of spectacularly complex interchanges — from the six-level Puxi Viaduct in Shanghai, to the swirling circular Nanpu Bridge interchange in the same city.

And there's the original interchange which coined the name "spaghetti junction", the Gravelly Hill interchange in the UK city of Birmingham that was built in 1972.

But the snarl of tunnels that make up the Rozelle Interchange might just be the most complex one ever built underground, according to Transport NSW deputy secretary Camilla Drover.

"We're not aware of an underground interchange that connects three motorways," she said.

"We've got three layers of tunnels to deliver the interchange and it will also eventually go over the Metro West tunnel as well.

"So that's four layers of tunnelling with total tunnel depths between 35 metres and 65 metres deep … that's as deep as a 20-storey building."

How was it built?

About two-thirds of the tunnels will carry cars, while the rest were built to house ventilation and electrical equipment.

Six and a half million tonnes of rock and soil had to be excavated from deep underneath the houses and streets of Rozelle in order to dig the tunnels.

Some 1.74 million metres of electrical cabling, 7,400 lights and 132 jet fans had to be to be installed.

And 308,000 square metres of road pavement were laid.

In total, about 20,000 construction workers have been involved in the project since building began four years ago.

Project director Steve Keyser said it's taken a huge amount of logistics to get all the workers and equipment in and out of the tunnels each day.

"We peaked at probably about six or seven hundred workers at once, working 24/7 underground, 23 road headers," he said.

"Bringing that all together seamlessly has been a great challenge."

Even with a global pandemic thrown into the mix, the project has kept on track to open as scheduled.

So, was it all smooth sailing?

In a nutshell, no.

The interchange has created plenty of controversy during its lifetime.

The state government's initial proposal looked very different, with planners envisioning large surface ramps crisscrossing each other.

The decision to push the interchange underground has allowed 10 hectares of parkland, which is scheduled to open in December, to be constructed above it on land reclaimed from the old Rozelle railyards.

But the construction process has been long and messy, with homes being compulsorily acquired and some residents complaining of unbearable noise as tunnel boring machines drilled beneath their homes around the clock.

Plenty have objected to the three 35m exhaust stacks above the park, as well as a 235m road bridge linking The Crescent in Annandale to Victoria Road and the Anzac Bridge.

It's also been disruptive for drivers, who have been forced to navigate about 40 different traffic changes during construction.

How do I navigate this thing?

Despite its complexity, drivers are being assured by Transport NSW coordinator-general Howard Collins that navigating the interchange will be pretty simple.

"In reality, for most people, you will have two choices on which route you take … from a motorist's point of view, it's either keep to the left or keep to the right."

He said all turns were clearly signposted, with plenty of warning.

And if drivers want a dress rehearsal, there is a series of animated previews of their route online that will take them through the drive, turn by turn.

So far, there's been no mention of a toll amnesty similar to that which has been in place when other motorways first opened.

But if you take a wrong turn, Mr Collins said the one thing you shouldn't do is stop — even if it means you'll have to retrace your route and pay the toll again.

"For the sake of a few dollars, you don't want to cause some major traffic jam or something even worse," he said.

Mr Collins is confident that if there is a pile-up, or fire in the tunnel, its ventilation and monitoring systems are well-equipped to handle it.

"We have the latest technology, over 800 cameras, we've got crews on stand-by literally ready to go if there's any incidents in the tunnels," he said.

Will I get home faster?

The interchange is expected to slash travel times for drivers, particularly in the afternoon and evening peak as drivers head out of the CBD to the city's west and south.

The interchange is the final piece in the WestConnex motorway's promise to deliver a 20-minute saving on travel time between the CBD and Parramatta.

The interchange's only free section – a 1.1km tunnel under Victoria Road at Rozelle — will bypass seven sets of traffic lights on a road that is notoriously banked back.

But authorities are warning traffic will get worse before it gets better, as drivers adjust.

Roads Minister John Graham recently told a budget estimates hearing that the adjustment could take up to six months.

But Mr Collins is more optimistic.

"The first couple of weeks generally is when you do tend to get a little bit more slowing down as people actually maybe are even admiring some of the infrastructure," he said.

"But we are then heading for school holidays, when we see a 10 to 15 per cent reduction in traffic."

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