Defence of Sydney Tour

The Harbour Trust presents the Defence of Sydney Tour – a journey into the military history of North Fort.

This volunteer-run tour is an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the men and women who served at North Fort, a former army base at North Head Sanctuary, Manly that once protected Sydney Harbour.

Accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, you will marvel at heritage gun emplacements 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.

Quick overview

• Cost: $11 per adult, $8 per child (12 & under) and $8 per senior/concession holder.


• Days and times: Every Sunday at 10:30am, 11.30am, 1pm & 2pm. Duration of tour is 1 hour and 45 mins.


• Meeting point: North Head Sanctuary Visitor Centre (located in the North Fort precinct), North Head Scenic Drive, Manly, NSW 2095.

Important Information

• 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.


• 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. 


• 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.

Content and mobility

• 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

What to bring

• 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.

Getting here and home

The tour departs from the North Head Sanctuary Visitor Centre (located in the North Fort precinct), North Head Scenic Drive, Manly, NSW 2095.

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

See also: Our Places and Guided Tours.