Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh is a significant colonial-era fort in Sydney Harbour. Known as 'Mattewanya' to traditional owners, a 'Pinchgut' to convicts and colonists, it was originally a rocky outcrop before the Colonial Government fortified the island in the 1840s, with later additions including the most complete Martello Tower in the world. The fort has been a tourist attraction since the 1940s and was added to Sydney Harbour National Park in 1995.
Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh is currently closed to visitors, allowing for significant conservation and repair works to the Barracks building and seawalls. The island's existing 1940s-era timber wharf is being replaced with a new modern, safe wharf that complies with accessibility standards established under the Disability Discrimination Act. The new wharf allows people with mobility issues to safely visit Fort Denison for the first time in the island's 170-year history.
This project is being delivered as part of the largest visitor infrastructure program in national park history.
Project stages and work
Detailed planning and design for the new wharf were carried out in 2020.
The new wharf consists of a floating pontoon linked via a gangway and fixed bridge to Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh. Fabrication of the pontoon was completed in Port Macquarie and was delivered to Sydney at the end of March 2022. This was fitted out at Rozelle Bay in April and was moved to Fort Denison in May, with onsite works carried out in the second half of 2022.
Service upgrades and extensive conservation works on the fort are also ongoing throughout 2024.
Information and updates
We will keep visitors and the community informed of the progress of this project through updates on this webpage.
Protecting park values
In accordance with NSW environmental and planning legislation, the National Parks and Wildlife Service have carried out a thorough environmental assessment of the site with input from relevant specialists.
Heritage assessments have also been carried out, which consider the state significance of Fort Denison and the location within the buffer zone of the World Heritage listed Sydney Opera House.
Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh, c.1885 
Artist sketch of the new wharf at Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh. 
The existing timber wharf is not compliant and needs replacing. 
Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh, Martello tower, Port Jackson. 
Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh is a heritage fort on the harbour island once called Pinchgut. This former military site is the most complete Martello Tower in the world and a popular Sydney attraction. 
Fort Denison – Muddawahnyuh wharf upgrade. 
The new pontoon at Fort Denison was successfully floated into position and the new aluminium gangway was craned into position on 29 April 2022. 
The new pontoon and gangway at Fort Denison was successfully installed on 29 April 2022.
Feedback
For further information on the project, please send us your question, and the project team will provide updates via this webpage.