New wharf at Fort Denison - Muddawahnyuh

National Parks and Wildlife Service is constructing a new wharf at Fort Denison - Muddawahnyuh.

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 from 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 has been closed to visitors to allow for significant conservation and repair works to the Barracks building and seawalls. We are replacing the island's existing 1940s era timber wharf with a new modern and safe wharf that will comply with accessibility standards established under the Disability Discrimination Act. The new wharf will allow 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.

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. Additional works by National Parks and Wildlife Service, including electrical upgrades, were completed in September.

Conservation works and upgrades will be undertaken by The Point Group, operators of Fort Denison Dining, before reopening. This is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023.

We will keep visitors and the community informed of the progress of this project through regular updates on this webpage.

In accordance with NSW environmental and planning legislation, 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.

Do you have any questions?

For further information on the project, please send us your question, and the project team will provide updates via this webpage.

Fort Denison wharf upgrade

Your feedback



Contact Information

The information you provide in this form will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected. By submitting, you consent to storage, use, and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy. You can request access and amendment of your personal information.