Fort Denison (Sydney)

Australia / New South Wales / Sydney
 tourism, island, seaport, fortification, interesting place
Former defensive facility occupying a small island located north of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney Harbour. Originally named Pinchgut (owing to the poor quality and quantity of food given to imprisoned convicts), the island was used as a place of confinement for recalcitrant convicts during the early period of British settlement. The fortress, which features a distinctive martello tower, was built in the mid 19th century as a defence against a feared Russian invasion during the period of the Crimean War, and occupies the entire island. It is reputedly the last martello-style fortification built by the British Empire. Fort Denison is now a tourist attraction.

Sydney Harbour
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9358 1999
www.fortdenison.com.au
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Denison
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   33°51'17"S   151°13'31"E

Comments

  • "Pinchgut" was originally a colloquial sailors term for the narrowing of the deepwater sailing channel it passed the sandstone island that was to become Fort Denison. It was handily adapted to describe the weight-loss experienced by the convict Thomas Hill when he was punished by a week on bread and water chained in irons on the island in 1788. The stone from the island was quarried by convicts for building projects in the Sydney Colony and in 1853 authorities decided to build the defensive martello tower in case Britain's difficulties in the Crimean War spilled down to the Pacific Ocean.
This article was last modified 11 years ago