Sydney Heads facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sydney Heads |
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| North Head, South Head, Middle Head, and the Heads | |
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North Head
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| Location | Port Jackson |
| Coordinates | 33°50′12″S 151°16′52″E / 33.836772°S 151.281052°E |
| Geology | Headlands |
The Sydney Heads (also called the Heads) are large rocky cliffs. They form the 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) wide entrance to Sydney Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
You'll find North Head and Quarantine Head on the north side. South Head and Dunbar Head are on the south. Middle Head, Georges Head, and Chowder Head are inside the harbour to the west. All these amazing cliffs are part of the Sydney Harbour National Park.
Many cool spots on the Heads are protected because they are historically important. These include the Hornby Lighthouse on South Head, which is Australia's third-oldest lighthouse. The Macquarie Lighthouse, Australia's very first lighthouse, is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) south on Dunbar Head. Also important is the old Quarantine Station on North Head.
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North Head: A Historic Landmark
North Head is a large headland located southeast of the suburb of Manly. It is a big piece of sandstone rock, covering about 3.85 square kilometers (1.49 square miles). This area is part of the beautiful Sydney Harbour National Park.
North Head's Quarantine Station
The old Quarantine Station on North Head is a very important historical site. From 1828, ships arriving in Sydney had to stop here. People who might have contagious diseases like cholera or smallpox had to stay here. This helped stop illnesses from spreading into Sydney.
In 1832, the whole North Head area was set aside for this purpose. A permanent station was built in 1837 and it operated until 1984. Today, the buildings and land are protected as part of the New South Wales State Heritage Register and the Australian National Heritage List. It is now part of the Sydney Harbour National Park.
This site shows how people fought major diseases in Australia's past. It has many original buildings and equipment. After 1945, the station was used for smaller groups, like families arriving by air who needed to be checked. It became a peaceful place for them.
In 1975, the station housed Vietnamese refugees. In 1975 and 1976, people affected by Cyclone Tracy from Darwin, Northern Territory also stayed here. The station closed in 1984. Now, parts of the old Quarantine Station can be visited by tourists or even rented for accommodation.
The cliffs nearby have many old carvings from the quarantine days. You can also see remains of old coastal defenses from the 1940s, like gun sites and ammunition bunkers.
Defence Facilities at North Head
From 1934, military defense facilities were built on North Head. These were used less after 1945. From 1953, the School of Artillery used these old defense buildings. The harbour reserve was created in 1979.
The School of Artillery moved away in 1998. However, an artillery museum stayed for a while. In 2001, the site was given to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust to manage. The Trust plans to create an exhibition about how Sydney was defended. You can still see remains of the gun emplacements and tunnels used by the army. Many of these are open to the public or can be seen on guided tours.
Australian Institute of Police Management
Also on North Head is the Australian Institute of Police Management. It is located in an area that used to be the 'Seamen's Quarters' of the quarantine station. This was a place where sailors with certain illnesses were treated and kept safely.
South Head: Views and Lighthouses
South Head is another headland that is part of Sydney Harbour National Park. It is located north of the suburb of Watsons Bay.
You can take a twenty-minute walk on the South Head Heritage Trail. This walk offers amazing views of Middle Head, Manly, North Head, and the Tasman Sea. The trail goes around the headland, past the Hornby Lighthouse. You can also see the lighthouse keepers' cottages and old gun emplacements from the late 1800s.
HMAS Watson, a training base for the Royal Australian Navy, is also located at South Head.
Middle Head: Forts and Tunnels
Middle Head is a headland found between North Head and South Head, right next to Middle Harbour. It is also part of Sydney Harbour National Park.
Middle Head has a large network of old defense forts and tunnels. These include the Middle Head Fortifications, the Georges Head Battery, and the Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position. These forts are part of a bigger system of defenses around Sydney Harbour. Some of the fortifications even have "Tiger Cages," which were used to train soldiers by making them experience conditions similar to prisoner of war camps in Vietnam.
HMAS Penguin, a naval base, is located at Middle Harbour.
Heritage Listings
Middle Head has some sites that are protected for their historical importance, including:
- Middle Head Road: Middle Head Fortifications
