Fort Denison Island
Fort Denison Island
4
About
Was Once A Prison For The Worst Convicts
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Fort Denison Island
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
4,971 within 3 miles
Attractions
825 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
237 reviews
Excellent
111
Very good
83
Average
31
Poor
3
Terrible
9
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,535 contributions
Jun 2022
Fort Denison is a colonial era fort on a small sandstone island in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Locals still call Fort Denison by its original name, Pinchgut, becouse of its history of punishing convicts by starvation. Fort Denison has a Martello Tower, a defensive structure that is the only such fort in Australia, though they are common in the British Isles. Construction was completed in 1857, although it proved to be unsuited for its intended purpose. You can take a boat trip to Pinchgut and marvel at its convict handwork.
Written July 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mairwen1
United Kingdom11,165 contributions
Nov 2021
This barren island fortress sits smack in the middle of Sydney Harbour. It’s the one you go right past whenever you catch a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly.
It’s forbidding and stark.
A relic of convict Sydney and the early days of the colony, the island has a spine-chilling history.
From the first days of the colony, it was used as a particularly nasty punishment. Convicts were left on the island in iron chains for a week or more with nothing other than bread and water, earning the island the name ‘Pinchgut’.
In 1796 the British authorities went one step further. They installed a hanging gallows.
Within months, they had put it to use. The first man hung there was a murderer, Francis Morgan. HIs body was left hanging on the gallows for 4 years, to be picked at by birds, until there was just a skeleton left.
It was a particularly vivid warning as the skeleton could be easily seen from the mainland and was intended as a deterrent.
Later in the 1850s, the distinctive Martello fort, gun batteries and barracks were built . Alarmed by the Crimean War, the fortress was part of a defence system to protect against possible invasion by the Russians.
Normally you can visit the Fort Denison and have lunch there but it is currently closed for maintenance on the seawalls and wharf and won't re-open for visits until the end 2022.
It’s forbidding and stark.
A relic of convict Sydney and the early days of the colony, the island has a spine-chilling history.
From the first days of the colony, it was used as a particularly nasty punishment. Convicts were left on the island in iron chains for a week or more with nothing other than bread and water, earning the island the name ‘Pinchgut’.
In 1796 the British authorities went one step further. They installed a hanging gallows.
Within months, they had put it to use. The first man hung there was a murderer, Francis Morgan. HIs body was left hanging on the gallows for 4 years, to be picked at by birds, until there was just a skeleton left.
It was a particularly vivid warning as the skeleton could be easily seen from the mainland and was intended as a deterrent.
Later in the 1850s, the distinctive Martello fort, gun batteries and barracks were built . Alarmed by the Crimean War, the fortress was part of a defence system to protect against possible invasion by the Russians.
Normally you can visit the Fort Denison and have lunch there but it is currently closed for maintenance on the seawalls and wharf and won't re-open for visits until the end 2022.
Written April 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dimitris L
Sydney, Australia50,924 contributions
Dec 2019
Fort Denison Island is a tiny island right in the middle of Sydney Harbour. It can be seen from almost anywhere around the harbour, particularly from the side of the Botanic Gardens, but also, more conveniently from the ferry. It is currently closed for maintenance, but we have been there previously. It is a great source of history. It was initially used, by the authorities, during colonial times, as a centre where convicts were punished, quite severely. In much later times it was used as a defence post for Sydney Harbour, particularly during the world wars. It also was the victim of "friendly fire", during one of those times (from US troops, of course!) However these days it is part of the National Parks and it serves as a sort of museum. A great place to visit.
Written December 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RichardOrmson
Wokingham, UK52 contributions
Fort Denison is a former prison - later an artillery battery - and is now run by the Australian park service. It's located in the middle of the harbour, about half a mile off the opera house. To get out there you need to see the park service people at their office in Circular Quay - only official tours are allowed.
It's pretty cheap to go (AU$22) and if the weather is good you will not find a better place to take photos of the bridge and opera house. The fort itself is pretty interesting too - there is a small museum on site, a guided tour of the whole place is included in your ticket price, and in summer there is a cafe (but I went in winter, so that was closed)
You are unlikely to spend all day here, but if you want somewhere interesting to spend a few hours, and to get some really good pics of the bridge and opera house while you are there, this is a very good option.
It's pretty cheap to go (AU$22) and if the weather is good you will not find a better place to take photos of the bridge and opera house. The fort itself is pretty interesting too - there is a small museum on site, a guided tour of the whole place is included in your ticket price, and in summer there is a cafe (but I went in winter, so that was closed)
You are unlikely to spend all day here, but if you want somewhere interesting to spend a few hours, and to get some really good pics of the bridge and opera house while you are there, this is a very good option.
Written June 18, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
masonhellcat
Maclean, Australia32 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
I grew up on Fort Denison. My family and I lived there from 1986-1992...the last caretakers of this beautiful spot. I will always call the Fort my spiritual home.
Visiting today, my wife made it known to the tour guide (I think her name was Romaine, but let's call her 'Marge' as she never actually introduced herself, we only overheard a deckhand call out to her) that myself and my folks (including my dad who was caretaker and tour guide for many many years) were on the tour. A smile and a nod was the only acknowledgement from Marge. Then we endured a rather tedious and poorly structured tour that cost a ridiculous sum, skipping many important historical (yet fascinating) facts.
I wanted to show my daughter my old bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom. All off limits. No exceptions.
- Currently no cafe/restaurant
- Grounds and displays have not been maintained (the historical tide machine is all but a pile of dust and rusted metal)
- Lack lustre visual displays (they call a couple of rooms with some old photos and history info a 'self-guided tour')
- Expensive tour
- The whole island needs a major renno ASAP. Heartbreaking to see it crumble so badly
- Tour guide lacking major PR skills.
NPWS you are letting history slip through your proverbial fingers. Terrible experience today.
Visiting today, my wife made it known to the tour guide (I think her name was Romaine, but let's call her 'Marge' as she never actually introduced herself, we only overheard a deckhand call out to her) that myself and my folks (including my dad who was caretaker and tour guide for many many years) were on the tour. A smile and a nod was the only acknowledgement from Marge. Then we endured a rather tedious and poorly structured tour that cost a ridiculous sum, skipping many important historical (yet fascinating) facts.
I wanted to show my daughter my old bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom. All off limits. No exceptions.
- Currently no cafe/restaurant
- Grounds and displays have not been maintained (the historical tide machine is all but a pile of dust and rusted metal)
- Lack lustre visual displays (they call a couple of rooms with some old photos and history info a 'self-guided tour')
- Expensive tour
- The whole island needs a major renno ASAP. Heartbreaking to see it crumble so badly
- Tour guide lacking major PR skills.
NPWS you are letting history slip through your proverbial fingers. Terrible experience today.
Written July 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fireman452
Tallahassee, FL1,486 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
Very small island in Sydney Harbor. This is where the worst inmates from the penal colony were sent. The tour is VERY informative and well worth your time to go out there.
Written March 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg M
Sydney, Australia30 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
My wife and I visited Fort Denison in Sydney Harbour in late January 2016.
There are many options for timing and such, but here are some ideas which we know work well, and fit a comprehensive coverage into three and a half hours.
Go to the Captain Cook Cruises ticket booth at wharf 6 at Circular Quay and get a "Fort Denison return" ticket. Cost is A$20 per adult (no concession available) plus a small credit card fee. Ideal time is to get the midday ferry, although they depart regularly. You actually get on the "Hop On Hop Off" ferry, but the first stop (on ferries departing roughly 10:45am thru 2pm) is Fort Denison - a ride of around 10 minutes.
As such, you get there at 12:10, just in time for the 12:15pm tour. I'd highly recommend taking the tour, as there is limited scope if you don't. The tour lasts around 40 minutes, finishing just before 1pm. You can pre-book a tour, or just pay the National Parks person as you step off the ferry. Cost is I think A$15.50 for adults, A$13.50 for children. Note that the ONLY way to go through the Martello tower is on a tour, and if you don't, then you have missed most of the history of the place, plus, the guide's commentary is well worth hearing.
At the end of this tour, you can then go to the top grass area as the National Parks person fires the 1pm cannon (it's only done once per day).
You then have time to wander through the museum, which isn't all that large, view the room which is the official tide height measurement place, and ample down to the restaurant for a 1:15 to 1:30 booking.
If you decide not to have lunch, then you are also ready for the 1:20pm return ferry to the Quay.
I'd advise making a booking for lunch. On a nice day, weather wise, the outlook is stunning. The restaurant is outdoors under a long marquee, with sides which can roll down in inclement weather. Spring and Autumn are reasonably good seasons to go.
The menu is reasonably comprehensive - "Modern Australian" I guess, with also a kids menu. Wine list is reasonable, with options for pre lunch bubbles (an Australian sparkling, and an Italian Prosecco), and the usual array of red and white wines by bottle or glass, plus beers and ciders.
Prices are as you would expect for probably one of the best outlooks in Sydney. Entrés (appetisers for you American folk) in the mid teens, and main course in the thirties.
We were served by the delightful, and extremely competent "Cindy".
Allowing time for a leisurely lunch around 1:30 start, leaves you in time to catch return ferries at 2:20pm, 3:20pm, or the last one at 4:20pm.
The above plan worked for us. So, to summarise:
Captain Cook Cruises ferry from Circular Quay at 12 ($20 each for Fort Denison return)
Arrive Fort Denison at 12:10
Pay National Parks person for tour tickets ($15.50 each per adult)
Tour begins at 12:15pm
Tour ends around 12:50pm
View canon firing at 1pm
View museum etc
Lunch booking at 1:30pm??
Captain Cook ferry back to the Quay at 2:20pm, 3:20pm, or the last at 4:20pm.
Note:
Try and pick nice weather - mid week (Cindy tells us that weekends in the restaurant get pretty busy)
A wonderful day out and one of the best views of the Bridge and Opera House.
Magic!
There are many options for timing and such, but here are some ideas which we know work well, and fit a comprehensive coverage into three and a half hours.
Go to the Captain Cook Cruises ticket booth at wharf 6 at Circular Quay and get a "Fort Denison return" ticket. Cost is A$20 per adult (no concession available) plus a small credit card fee. Ideal time is to get the midday ferry, although they depart regularly. You actually get on the "Hop On Hop Off" ferry, but the first stop (on ferries departing roughly 10:45am thru 2pm) is Fort Denison - a ride of around 10 minutes.
As such, you get there at 12:10, just in time for the 12:15pm tour. I'd highly recommend taking the tour, as there is limited scope if you don't. The tour lasts around 40 minutes, finishing just before 1pm. You can pre-book a tour, or just pay the National Parks person as you step off the ferry. Cost is I think A$15.50 for adults, A$13.50 for children. Note that the ONLY way to go through the Martello tower is on a tour, and if you don't, then you have missed most of the history of the place, plus, the guide's commentary is well worth hearing.
At the end of this tour, you can then go to the top grass area as the National Parks person fires the 1pm cannon (it's only done once per day).
You then have time to wander through the museum, which isn't all that large, view the room which is the official tide height measurement place, and ample down to the restaurant for a 1:15 to 1:30 booking.
If you decide not to have lunch, then you are also ready for the 1:20pm return ferry to the Quay.
I'd advise making a booking for lunch. On a nice day, weather wise, the outlook is stunning. The restaurant is outdoors under a long marquee, with sides which can roll down in inclement weather. Spring and Autumn are reasonably good seasons to go.
The menu is reasonably comprehensive - "Modern Australian" I guess, with also a kids menu. Wine list is reasonable, with options for pre lunch bubbles (an Australian sparkling, and an Italian Prosecco), and the usual array of red and white wines by bottle or glass, plus beers and ciders.
Prices are as you would expect for probably one of the best outlooks in Sydney. Entrés (appetisers for you American folk) in the mid teens, and main course in the thirties.
We were served by the delightful, and extremely competent "Cindy".
Allowing time for a leisurely lunch around 1:30 start, leaves you in time to catch return ferries at 2:20pm, 3:20pm, or the last one at 4:20pm.
The above plan worked for us. So, to summarise:
Captain Cook Cruises ferry from Circular Quay at 12 ($20 each for Fort Denison return)
Arrive Fort Denison at 12:10
Pay National Parks person for tour tickets ($15.50 each per adult)
Tour begins at 12:15pm
Tour ends around 12:50pm
View canon firing at 1pm
View museum etc
Lunch booking at 1:30pm??
Captain Cook ferry back to the Quay at 2:20pm, 3:20pm, or the last at 4:20pm.
Note:
Try and pick nice weather - mid week (Cindy tells us that weekends in the restaurant get pretty busy)
A wonderful day out and one of the best views of the Bridge and Opera House.
Magic!
Written January 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark C
Greater Sydney, Australia915 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Fort Denison, in the middle of Sydney harbour, is worth visiting. If not for the history then for the view of the harbour, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the opera House. Only a 10 minute ferry ride from Circular Quay it is worth doing at least once. (The Ferry will cost $20 per person for a round trip).When there take advantage of the Park’s and Wildlife Tour, it only cost $15.50 per person but it gets you into the cannon tower. There is a video, on loop, of the island for you to watch while waiting for your tour. If you time it right you can do the 12:15 pm tour and be on sight for the 1 pm cannon firing.
Make sure you are on the wharf to flag down the return ferry, because if they don’t see somebody waiting they could go straight past, you will then need to wait another 45 minutes for another.
Wheelchair uses could get on and off the island if the tide is right, check before buying tickets. You will not be able to see much of the sight as there are stairs and the doorways are narrow.
Make sure you are on the wharf to flag down the return ferry, because if they don’t see somebody waiting they could go straight past, you will then need to wait another 45 minutes for another.
Wheelchair uses could get on and off the island if the tide is right, check before buying tickets. You will not be able to see much of the sight as there are stairs and the doorways are narrow.
Written February 3, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bernard H
Bristol, UK831 contributions
At AUD 875 per person this was not the cheapest option for New Year's Eve in Sydney; but great food and entertainment combined with an unrivalled view to put this experience into the once-in-a-lifetime category.
In response to complaints in previous years that the standard of dress was patchy, the organisers decided this year to mandate black tie and this was adhered to by the overwhelming majority of guests. (They could have made a better job of communicating this, so make sure you check when booking.)
We met our private ferry near Circular Quay at around 6:30pm for a champagne-fuelled trip to Fort Denison which is on a tiny island not far from the Opera House and right in front of the Harbour Bridge.
We were offered (pre-made) cocktails or champagne and canapés on arrival. Although it wasn't clear, there was a full-service bar behind the scenes to cater for requests.
It was a very warm, dry, evening and we had plenty of time to wander around the upper lawn to savour the views before eating. A photographer was roaming around taking souvenir pictures which were presented to every guest towards the end of the evening. (It was not made clear what he was doing, so we needed to grab him to make sure he took ours!)
Dinner was served in an open-sided marquee with tables for ten (rather tightly packed) guests. As a couple, we also had the option of a table for two, but our choice worked-out well with our table comprising four groups of sociable people.
The meal was spread-out with a break after the appetiser to see the family fireworks at 9pm. Our (allergy and dislikes) food requests were catered for as we had told the organisers in advance, but this did delay our food service.
Food was of a high standard, but service for a hundred or so people at once means it wasn't what I would class as a gourmet meal.
Wine was similarly good, but the waiting staff did need to be prompted to pour more which they did cheerfully enough. (Nearly seven hours does call for more than a couple of glasses in my opinion!)
When there were no fireworks, the excellent cover band entertained us, with a few people getting up to dance on the small dance floor.
The Midnight fireworks were almost indescribable. We've all seen the pictures, but I had failed to appreciate the physical impact of each detonation. I don't know if this is experienced on land, but with nothing between you and the bridge - save a small armada - you certainly got the full explosive force.
Cheese and biscuits on the lawn were followed by more drinks and music before we departed at around 1:30am.
A final note: a few families brought children, but this is really an adult affair. Weather plays a big part in the experience but then that affects all regardless of location. I saw pictures from the previous year when it rained and they had to close the transparent windows on the marquee. I am sure it was still fun, but I don't think it could possibly have matched our evening.
Would I do it again? In a shot, but I think it risky to try to repeat something perfect.
In response to complaints in previous years that the standard of dress was patchy, the organisers decided this year to mandate black tie and this was adhered to by the overwhelming majority of guests. (They could have made a better job of communicating this, so make sure you check when booking.)
We met our private ferry near Circular Quay at around 6:30pm for a champagne-fuelled trip to Fort Denison which is on a tiny island not far from the Opera House and right in front of the Harbour Bridge.
We were offered (pre-made) cocktails or champagne and canapés on arrival. Although it wasn't clear, there was a full-service bar behind the scenes to cater for requests.
It was a very warm, dry, evening and we had plenty of time to wander around the upper lawn to savour the views before eating. A photographer was roaming around taking souvenir pictures which were presented to every guest towards the end of the evening. (It was not made clear what he was doing, so we needed to grab him to make sure he took ours!)
Dinner was served in an open-sided marquee with tables for ten (rather tightly packed) guests. As a couple, we also had the option of a table for two, but our choice worked-out well with our table comprising four groups of sociable people.
The meal was spread-out with a break after the appetiser to see the family fireworks at 9pm. Our (allergy and dislikes) food requests were catered for as we had told the organisers in advance, but this did delay our food service.
Food was of a high standard, but service for a hundred or so people at once means it wasn't what I would class as a gourmet meal.
Wine was similarly good, but the waiting staff did need to be prompted to pour more which they did cheerfully enough. (Nearly seven hours does call for more than a couple of glasses in my opinion!)
When there were no fireworks, the excellent cover band entertained us, with a few people getting up to dance on the small dance floor.
The Midnight fireworks were almost indescribable. We've all seen the pictures, but I had failed to appreciate the physical impact of each detonation. I don't know if this is experienced on land, but with nothing between you and the bridge - save a small armada - you certainly got the full explosive force.
Cheese and biscuits on the lawn were followed by more drinks and music before we departed at around 1:30am.
A final note: a few families brought children, but this is really an adult affair. Weather plays a big part in the experience but then that affects all regardless of location. I saw pictures from the previous year when it rained and they had to close the transparent windows on the marquee. I am sure it was still fun, but I don't think it could possibly have matched our evening.
Would I do it again? In a shot, but I think it risky to try to repeat something perfect.
Written April 26, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marg S
Sydney, Australia594 contributions
Nov 2017 • Friends
A short five minute ride from Circular Quay and we arrived at Fort Denison. Our amazing guide with National Parks and Wildlife, Murray, made our tour a wonderful experience. Note there is currently NO restaurant on the island, so we dined at the Rocks before heading off for the tour, and at $33 per head, good value, with transport via Captain Cook Cruises. Good for all ages, but quite a few stairs, museum and grassed area, on a tiny island.
Written November 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi. I read that the island is closed for maintainance. Will it be opened by June 1st as my hubby & I plan to visit.
Written February 19, 2019
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing