Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour was once a convict prison, then an industrial school for girls and finally Australia’s biggest shipyard. It is the largest island in Sydney Harbour and is located near the Balmain peninsula where the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers meet.

Today this surprising island is open to the public. Visitors can arrive by ferry and explore the island’s intriguing heritage and magnificent views. Its brooding sandstone convict gaol has been nominated for listing on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, as well as the large dock and hand-carved storage silos built by the reluctant inhabitants.

Huge industrial sheds, slipways, wharves, residences, workshops and tunnels are gritty reminders of the island’s maritime days. At its peak during WWII over 4000 men worked here building and repairing ships.

You can book a tour of the island or explore it at your leisure on a self-guided walk. Or you pitch a tent and camp overnight in the new harbourside campground. Bookings and information available from the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust on (02) 8969 2100 or visit the website

Other islands on Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) include:
Clark Island
Fort Denison
Goat Island
Rodd Island
Shark Island