Get in quick – this party tends to book out before November. If you want to rough it (as much as is possible in the middle of Sydney Harbour) the standard tents cost $400 and fit up to six happy campers. The deluxe New Year’s Eve Sydney staycation will cost up to $2200 for the fancier glamping packages. You can join guided tours exploring the Island’s convict and shipbuilding history, go day-to-night dancing to live music and DJs, or just soak up some sun and stellar Sydney views.ĭespite being canvas-based accommodation, it’s still a pretty ritzy start to 2020. The party will start in the morning, with plenty of entertainment on offer beyond the bright lights. You can start 2020 by getting back to basics at the BYO tent sites, or kick-off the year feeling fancy free at their deluxe glamping accommodation. ![]() Plan to spend at least two hours here.Want to watch Sydney’s New Year's Eve fireworks without crowds, traffic and long walks? Cockatoo Island offers an excellent vantage point to watch the colourful display light up the night sky, with accommodation included. If you wish, you can spend the night on the island in either in one of the houses or apartments or one of the “glamping” tents. Several buildings and exhibits on the grounds as well as two tunnels used to transport prisoners and goods from one end to the other end of the island were interesting. The boys were assigned throughout the island for a variety of jobs. Bordered by landscaped gardens, Cockatoo Islands holiday houses and apartments combine authentic heritage character with modern amenities and harbour views. Interestingly, there was a ship moored that was home to orphan boys. Situated near Biloela Lawn on the upper island, each boasts a large entertaining balcony overlooking Sydney Harbour. Convicts built prison barracks, grain storage silos and perhaps, most important, built the dock and maintained it for use by the British Navy and other ships such as battleships and submarines. Learning the history of how it came to be a “penal colony” was quite interesting. ![]() We took the self-guided audio tour to explore the island. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island was a convict jail, a reformatory and industrial school, and a shipbuilding yard. We took about two hours to do the circuit but you could probably take a longer time to get a more in-depth experience.Ī short ferry ride from Sydney, Australia’s Central Business District will take you to Cockatoo Island, the harbor’s largest island. We also went through tunnels, along walkways next to vertical cliffs and had views back to the Harbour Bridge. When we went in May they had a photographic exhibition called "Shipyard Stories" in Biloela House with official and candid photos of the shipyards. ![]() The size of these buildings is really imposing. Cockatoo Island resort is closed for business. Established in 1857 and closed in 1991, the over a hundred year old history has left docks, numerous incredibly large industrial buildings, old cranes and large working equipment. It then became an educational institution as the Biloela Industrial School for Girls and the Biloela Reformatory from 1871 to 1880.įor us the island's history as a shipbuilding centre was the most interesting. Situated in the picturesque Buccaneer Archipelago, the Kimberley Western Australia, this unique property caters for guests staying in historic villas or single room accommodation. Fitzroy Dock was carved by convicts and there is a guard house, mess hall, solitary confinement cells, grain silos and Biloela House. Cockatoo Island resort is closed for business. Sydney Harbour Woolwich, Sydney, Cockatoo Island, New South Wales 2000 Australia. This island is a UNESCO world heritage listed site because of its 30 years (1839-1869) as a convict penal precinct. There are tours and audio guides but we just took a map and explored by ourselves. Located in the heart of Sydney Harbour on the land of the Wallumedegal, Wangal, Cammeraygal and Gadigal Peoples, Cockatoo Island is a treasure trove of rich. They have a display of the tents they provide near the visitor centre (they did look fairly rudimentary) and we saw the movie and activity lists for the campsite. There is accommodation onsite in apartments, holiday houses and the camping ground. The visitor centre is only open 10 am to 4 pm but the ferries run much later (at least till 11 pm). ![]() When we took the ferry back from Cockatoo Island to Circular Quay it had one stop at Barangaroo Darling Harbour where we got off. There should be other ferries to Cockatoo Island from Woolwich Wharf, Birchgrove Wharf, Balmain Wharf and, of course, Circular Quay. On a Saturday afternoon, this ferry has one service hourly to Cockatoo Island and another service hourly to Circular Quay and these are about half an hour apart. It was spur of the moment with only a quick internet search. After walking along the north shore we took a ferry from Greenwich Point to Cockatoo Island.
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