Cockatoo Island
Host: Mike Whitney
Welcome to the cheapest waterfront accommodation in Sydney!
Cockatoo Island is Australia's most unusual urban park. It’s a heritage listed island in the middle of beautiful Sydney Harbour and has only just opened up to the public for overnight camping.
 |
Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour. Located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers, Cockatoo Island is a former imperial prison, industrial school, reformatory and gaol. It is also the site of one of Australia's biggest shipyards during the Twentieth Century. The first of its two dry docks was built by convicts and was completed in 1857. The island's maritime industrial activity ceased in 1992.
Today Cockatoo Island retains many remnants of its past. Its prison buildings have been nominated for World Heritage listing. Large workshops, slipways, wharves, residences and other buildings retain the texture of the island's industrial past.
 |
Cockatoo Island is one of the best places in Sydney to appreciate the harbour. Visitors to the island always comment on the magnificent views of the Harbour Bridge, the city skyline and the beauty of the headlands mixed in with the suburbs and water.
Where else can you pitch a tent and camp so close to the city? Or take a self-guided tour of a former shipbuilding site and convict prison. There are guided tours for anyone who wants an in-depth introduction to the island's history.
 |
Eating on Cockatoo
You won't find fine dining on Cockatoo, but you will find tasty meals, snacks and drinks at the fully-licensed Muster Station Café near the ferry wharf. Or, bring a picnic, relax and enjoy the views from one of the island's great picnic spots.
BBQs near the Campground on the lower island are available for public use. The electric BBQs are coin-operated - just remember to bring along your $1 coins.
There's also a drinks and snacks machine near the cafe - great if you get the midnight munchies whilst camping on the island. They're also planning a bar in the atmospheric foundry next to the Turbine Hall. Please remember though that you can't bring alcohol onto the island, or portable barbecues.
Muster Station Café
The Muster Station Café, just near the ferry wharf offers a great variety of hot and cold meals, snacks, hot and cold drinks. It's also fully-licensed and the menu changes regularly to whet your appetite.
Camping Information
Cockatoo Island Camping is located at the water's edge on the northern side of Cockatoo Island with views across the Parramatta River to Hunters Hill.
The campground consists of 135 unpowered sites for tents only. There is no vehicle access to the island, so all camping equipment must be hand carried by boat. You will need to plan your arrival and departure in accordance with ferry timetables. Or you can catch a water taxi to the island.
Tent and equipment hire and sale
To make your camping experience on Cockatoo more enjoyable, tents and a limited range of camping equipment are available for hire. Please be aware that a $100 bond will be required for the hire of equipment. This bond is refunded when equipment is returned in good order. Items for sale will be available shortly.
Tents
The Oztent RV3 is one of the most advanced tents on the market and is available for hire on Cockatoo Island. Known as the "30 Second Tent", it is easy to erect and dismantle and sleeps two adults in comfort or up to four smaller bodies (tent dimensions are 2.4 m x 2.0 m). Why not leave your tent at home and try out the latest in tent technology?
Full camping package
For a luxury camping experience, full camping packages are available for hire which include site and tent hire, 2 x self-inflating mattresses, 2 x camp chairs and a lantern. Just bring your sleeping bag and leave the rest to them!
Food and drink
BBQ packs are available from the café.
Getting To Cockatoo Island
It's easy to visit Cockatoo Island. This unique island is located in Sydney Harbour, just a 10-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay and the centre of Sydney.
 |
A regular ferry service links the island to Circular Quay, making the historic site available to the public for the first time since shipbuilding ceased on the island in the early 1990s.
The island is also accessible by water taxi and private boat or barge. A regular service from other points in the harbour will begin shortly.
Cockatoo Island Guided Tour
The tour normally takes 1½ hours and gives an overview of the island's history, and features some of the best examples of early colonial history to be found in Sydney. We are doing a mock up with Vickie Longmuir, the tour guide.
The tour is $18 adult, $14 concession, $60 family (two adults and up to three concessions).
Kayaking Tours
Kayak Hire is through Blue Earth. It is a DIY activity which can be arranged on the island. Prices start from $20 for a single kayak for 1 hour of hire.
|
More Information Cockatoo Island Telephone: (02) 8898 9774 The Full Package is $75 and includes a tent, two mattresses, two camping chairs and a lantern. Or take your own gear and it’s just $40 per night for site hire. Bookings essential. |
Prices correct as at 17/05/08
You’ll need a ride on the harbour, so for all you need to know about getting out on the water, give our mates at the BIA a call on 1300 7 BOATS or set sail for their website at www.bia.org.au