are e ▁Head ▁has ▁been ▁an ▁ident ifiable ▁element ▁in ▁the ▁landscape ▁and ▁as ▁such ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁be acon ▁by ▁Ab original ▁people ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁early ▁European ▁expl or ers , ▁se af ar ers ▁and ▁sett lers . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁expl oration ▁and ▁development ▁of ▁NS W ▁from ▁the ▁European ▁discovery ▁of ▁NS W ▁by ▁Captain ▁James ▁Cook . ▁Fish ing , ▁tim ber ▁and ▁agricult ural ▁purs uits ▁have ▁been ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁development ▁around ▁Tom are e ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁recre ational ▁purs uits ▁from ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Tom are e ▁Head ▁was ▁identified ▁as ▁a ▁Reserve ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁and ▁has ▁retained ▁this ▁status ▁since ▁despite ▁some ▁ad ▁h oc ▁use ▁by ▁it iner ant ▁far mers , ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁fort ifications ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁ 2 ▁and ▁more ▁recently , ▁the ▁hospital . ▁It ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁remaining ▁non - urban ▁res erves ▁in ▁NS W . ▁ ▁The ▁Tom are e ▁fort ifications ▁are ▁of ▁historical ▁importance ▁as ▁a ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁War ▁ 2 ▁coast al ▁defence ▁network ▁installed ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁NS W ▁to ▁protect ▁strateg ic ▁places . ▁The ▁location ▁on ▁the ▁head ▁protected ▁Port ▁Steph ens ▁and ▁the ▁network ▁of ▁adjacent ▁rivers ▁and ▁water c ourses ▁and ▁the ▁hinter land . ▁It ▁also ▁was ▁an ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁protection ▁of ▁the ▁industrial ▁install ations ▁at ▁New castle . ▁The ▁complex