This site contains historical information including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and interactive tools for all visitors to the Fort. The website has been created with information gathered from the Illawarra Historical Society and the Wollongong City Library Local Studies Reference Section. Please note this website is best read with Internet Explorer browser.

 

Smith's Hill Fort was completed in 1892 and is one of the few Australian colonial defence works still in existence today. The Fort was built as part of Australia's military forces and defences after the withdrawal of English troops and coastal artillery. The Fort was to protect Wollongong from sea invasion by enemy ships, particularly the Russians, following the Crimean War.

Video Footage: Watch a video on the Wollongong fort as it is today and why it was first built.

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Australia Day 2012

 

As part of the Wollongong Australia Day celebrations, members of the Rotary Club of Illawarra Sunrise conducted a re-enactment of the first firing of the 1893 cannons at the Smith's Hill Fort. Members of the club dressed up in uniforms of the 1880's and marched from the Old Court House to the Battery and 'fired' the two 80lb muzzle loaded cannons. At first the Union Jack is raised (as there was no Australia as such in the 1880's) and after the cannons were fired, the British flag was lowered and replaced by the Australian National Flag.