Harbourside dining doesn’t get any better than this!
Perched in the middle of Sydney Harbour, Fort Denison is the perfect spot to bring your group for a delicious lunch or morning tea, combined with an historic tour of the Martello Tower.
Your group will catch a ferry from Circular Quay and enjoy a tour past the Opera House and Botanic Gardens before arriving at Fort Denison.
The group will enjoy a historic tour up the Martello Tower offering panoramic 360 degree views around Sydney before enjoying a gourmet lunch or high tea in the Restaurant.
Fort Denison Café & Restaurant Packages The tour includes the following:
Ferry transport to and from Fort Denison
National Parks & Wildlife Park Entry Fee
National Parks & Wildlife Martello Tower Tour
The following food package as appropriate
Offers apply to groups of 8 to 50 people Only valid Monday to Friday – weekends by special arrangement
Food Packages Morning or Afternoon tea Available between 10:30 – 11:30am or 2-3pm
Option 1 - Tea & Cakes
Unlimited tea & filter coffee for one hour Platters of the following: Scones with jam & cream
Freshly baked muffins
Option 2 - Finger Sandwiches Unlimited tea & filter coffee for one hour Platters of the following: Scones with jam & cream
Freshly baked muffins
A selection of finger sandwiches
Lunches Available between 11:30am – 1:30pm
One Course Lunch A choice of one of the following:
Beer battered Flathead, hand cut chips, aioli & grilled lemon
Stuffed roasted capsicum, spiced rice pilaf, tomato & onion jam
Beef & bacon burger, tomato, avocado, cheese, aioli & rocket served with hand cut chips
Two course lunch Entrée
Bruschetta, tomato, basil, confit garlic, shaved parmesan and olive oil
Main Course A choice of one of the following:
Beer battered Flathead, hand cut chips, aioli & grilled lemon
Stuffed roasted capsicum, spiced rice pilaf, tomato & onion jam
Beef & bacon burger, tomato, avocado, cheese, aioli & rocket served with hand cut chips
Three course lunch Entrée
Bruschetta, tomato, basil, confit garlic, shaved parmesan and olive oil
Main Course A choice of one of the following:
Beer battered Flathead, hand cut chips, aioli & grilled lemon
Stuffed roasted capsicum, spiced rice pilaf, tomato & onion jam
Beef & bacon burger, tomato, avocado, cheese, aioli & rocket served with hand cut chips
Dessert Dessert of the Day
Beverage Upgrade
Add a glass of house wine or local beer
Fort Denison was named after Sir William Denison, then Governor of New South Wales. One of Sydney's historic landmarks was once a 16 metre (52 ft) high pinnacle of sandstone of an island that stood proudly in the middle of Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) was called "Mattawanye" by the aboriginals, "Rock Island" by Governor Phillip and nicknamed "Pinchgut" by the convicts
after the island was used for hanging for punishment around 1796.
Artist impression of Mattawanye 1778 (Pinchgut Island) - Fort Denison
To the local aboriginals it was a good fishing point and rest stop after many hours traversing their canoes while crossing the harbour. There were many hollowed out rocks that were used for water storage for the long hours spent fishing from there.
It was used as a prison within the open-air prison of the new settlement by European settlers. Convicts that were punished were sent to the rocky island and fed bread and water while still chained in irons.
Convicts were also hanged there and left hanging for many days as a reminder to others. The aboriginals were clearly distressed seeing up to 5 men left hanging for days.
They would not frequent the island anymore.
In 1839, two American warships entered the harbour at night and circled Pinchgut Island, Sydney’s defences were inadequate and it caused the government to review the harbour's inner defences then it was recommended that the government establish a fort on Pinchgut Island to help protect the colony from attack by foreign vessels.
Fortification of the island began in 1841 but was not completed. Construction resumed in 1855 because of fear of a Russian naval attack during the Crimean War between Britain & Russia.
Invasion never came but the fort was complete and Mattawanye was no more.
Today, Fort Denison is a popular tourist attraction that is now a museum and café.
A ferry runs from wharf 6 at Circular Quay every 45 minutes to Fort Denison where you can enjoy a beautiful lunch in one of Sydney's finest harbour locations.
Fort Denison is a popular tourist destination featuring a museum and a café/restaurant.
Mattawanye (Pinchgut Island) as it may have looked today
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