The headland now known as Fort Scratchley has two natural features which stood out. Height offered a lookout of the area; and seams of coal around its base. These were recognised not just by Europeans but by local Aboriginal tribes.

Natural landscape features and known scared sites include Whibayganba, Newcastle’s famous landmark Nobbys. It is said that a notorious kangaroo jumped from Tahlbihn Point, at the site now known as Fort Scratchley, to the safety of Whibayganba. The kangaroo remains hidden in the island’s bowels occasionally thumping its tail and making the land tremble. The thumping is said to be a reference to the region’s earthquake activity.

1804 – A coal fired beacon was established on the Hill for mariners. It remained a site for maritime communications throughout the nineteenth century, with the later installations of a signaling station and semaphore.

1855 – Local Citizens formed the Newcastle Volunteer Rifle and Artillery Corps when fears of a Russian attack in the colonies, as a result of the war Britain was fighting against Russia in the Crimea.

1866 – Newcastle Volunteer Rifle and Artillery Corps received two, 32 pounder smooth bore (SB) guns, which were mounted in earth-work emplacements on Signal Hill to protect the Newcastle Harbour entrance.

1874 – Two, 68 -pounders SB guns replaced the earlier 32-pounders on Signal Hill as the main harbour defences.

1880 – Plans were drawn up by Mr G A Morell of the Colonial Architect’s Department and were approved by Sir William Jervois and Colonel Scratchley.

1881 – Construction of the Fort commenced and it was completed in 1882 with the three 9 inch RML and four 80 pdr RML guns as planned. The 80 pdr guns are the ones seen on site today.

1892 – The three 9 inch RML guns were removed and replaced by one 8 inch and three 6 inch (breech loading) BL disappearing guns of the Armstrong design.

1898 – The three 80 pdr RML guns in the casemate were replaced by three 1.5 inch Nordenfelt quick-firing (QF) guns.