Current Use
Fort Denison is now a museum, tourist attraction and a popular location for wedding receptions and corporate events. The tourist facility contains an exhibition of the island's history from Aboriginal times.
Access to Fort Denison for tourists is via a ferry that departs wharf 6 at Circular Quay every 45 mins, 7 days a week. The price for the ferry ticket includes the landing fee. Guided tours of the island, including the Martello Tower are at an additional cost. NSW National Parks & Wildlife Services conducts the tours, and also operates a Harbour Navigational Facility, with tide gauge, navigation channel markers, foghorn and beacon. The Bureau of Meteorology operates a weather facility from the island and publishes observations at half hourly intervals on their website.
At 1pm some days, Fort Denison's staff fire a cannon. This practice began in 1906 to enable sailors to set their ship's chronometers correctly. The daily gun continued until World War II when the authorities stopped it for fear of alarming residents. The practice recommenced in 1986.
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