What it is
The fort was built in the 1880s to protect the port, then one of the busiest coal harbours in the colonies, and was named after the military engineer Peter Scratchley. In June 1942 its guns returned fire at a Japanese submarine that shelled Newcastle, making it one of the very few Australian forts to fire on an enemy vessel.
Today it is a historic site with gun emplacements, barracks and an underground network of tunnels, which can be visited on guided tours. The hilltop gives wide views over the harbour, the beaches and the city.
Getting there by bus
Route 23, which runs to Newcastle East via Newcastle Interchange, stops at Parnell Pl opp Alfred St, just below the fort, and at Scott St after Zara St.
Routes 11, 13, 14 and 21 stop on Watt Street at Customs House, about a seven-minute walk to the west.
