HEALTHCARE workers on the frontline of the Hunter's pandemic response have been enlisted to fire the guns at Fort Scratchley on Australia Day.
The historic guns of Fort Scratchley will fire at 11am, 1pm and 3pm on Tuesday.
Frank Carter, the president of the Fort Scratchley Historical Society, predicts the 1pm session in particular will be "spectacular".
"At one of these open days we'd normally fire two rounds from each gun, but we're going to fire 10 rounds from each gun, as well as another four from another gun," he said.
"We have got 24 frontline health workers who will be there to pull the trigger. To physically fire the guns.
"The list I have seen says there are people from nurses, to cleaners to doctors - anyone that has been putting an effort into this COVID situation."
Mr Carter said the Fort Scratchley Historical Society typically held open days on Australia Day, and the Queens Birthday and October long weekends.
This year, they could not offer tunnel tours of the fort, but the exhibitions would be open.
"We have got six guns that take you through the history of the fort, right up to the anti-aircraft guns," Mr Carter said.
"This is all about the history of the fort. It is the only one of its type in Australia that is still open for the public to come and see what it was like in 1882 right through to what is today.
"A lot of people don't know that we have the only two land-based guns in Australia that were ever involved in a naval engagement.
"They fired on the Japanese on the 8th June, 1942.
"Newcastle was shelled the same night Sydney was shelled.
"It has got a place in Australia's history."
Mr Carter advised there was limited parking at Fort Scratchley, suggesting visitors park at Newcastle foreshore if public transport is not an option.
He also warned that due to COVID-19 restrictions, they may have to close the gates should they reach crowd capacity on Tuesday.
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