An adventure in history surrounded by water views
Cockatoo Island provides an amazing opportunity to walk through time: from a convict goal, to a ship building industrial complex and now an all around family friendly place that offers something for everyone.
From the moment land on the wharf, you are surrounded by water views, including an excellent view of the Harbour Bridge in the distance.
The is an excellent map at the entrance that provides an great overview of things to explore. We found the entire island to be very accessible and pram friendly. You can easily do a loop of the entire island as the path is well maintained and its pretty much flat
Camping
This has to be the best feature of the Cockatoo Island! You can literally camp in the middle of the Sydney harbour. And the best part is, you don’t even have to bring in or setup your tent! We stayed a night and found the the tent quite cosy for a family of 3 (at that time). As part of the package, they do provide sleeping mats and a couple of deck chairs. You can bring your own food or add a BBQ pack to your booking. There’s a camp kitchen and amenities as well
The Big Chimney
The chimney and the surrounding structures of the old power house just take you back in time and are a reminder of the industrial past of the island
Tunnels
There are a couple of cool tunnels that cut right through the island and offer a shortcut to the other side. They are lit up just enough to create a sense of adventure but safe enough for the little ones.
The Turbine Shop
The sheer size of this thing is a sight to behold once you are in it and the kids loved the echoes that resonate within it.
Giant Chess
We promised our little one we can play chess if he behaved and he did! Appreciate that they made it out of artificial turf so even toddlers can have fun.
Food and Drinks
There are a couple of licensed venues on the island – Cockatoo Overboard, a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner near the entry and the Marina café on the opposite side facing the marina. So, food and drinks are never too far away.
The Ferry Ride
The only was to get to Cockatoo Island is by water and is well serviced by the F2 ferry. We took the ferry from Olympic Park and it’s just a pleasant ride.
