Relics reveal history on Sydney Harbour gem

Hire an on-site tent or take your own and use the barbecues for a fun, overnight experience. Photo / TNSW

I'm on an island retreat that's in the middle of a major city, steeped in fascinating history, offering luxurious and budget-priced accommodation as well as stunning, world famous views. Where am I? Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour.

From Sydney's CBD it's a hop, skip and 10-minute ferry ride away from Circular Quay. At 500m long and 360m wide, it's the largest and surely the most interesting island in the harbour.

Look east and you see the harbour bridge stretched out in all its glory, west is Drummoyne, south is Balmain, while Woolwich, Greenwich and Hunters Hill are five minutes' ferry ride north.

The rich heritage of the island is evident everywhere with relics of its past as a former prison and shipyard. At the peak of its time as a naval dockyard, up to 3000 tradesmen arrived by ferry every day. The island is still covered with dilapidated and rusted cranes and ironwork machinery reminiscent of the days when men performed hot, heavy and noisy work.

These days the structures look like spectacular works of art and provide a steely contrast to the liquid beauty of the harbour with its steady stream of commuter ferries, party boats, yachts, tinnies, rowing boats and passing kayaks.

Only since 2001 has it been open for the public to enjoy when the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust assumed control of the national heritage-listed island. Now it's available to everyone. You can come for the day and explore the 100 buildings and items of machinery with a self-guided audio tour (about $6 and very family friendly).

The cafe at the wharf provides gourmet food, cold drinks and coffee, icecreams and cakes.

Or for those wanting a fun family sleepover you can have the ultimate harbourside camping adventure at one of the on-site tents (for less than $100 for four people including tent, two sleeping mats, two chairs and one lantern). Or you can BYO tent (nearer $50) and use the state-of-the-art barbecue.

For those who want total comfort there are two beautifully restored Federation mansions which sleep up to 10 people and provide every comfort (including an adjoining lawn tennis court) on the island's plateau. The houses were former residences of key dockyard staff and are surrounded by enormous frangipani trees continually shedding a carpet of fragrant blooms.

The atmosphere is reminiscent of colonial luxury with two upstairs verandahs on which to relax, enjoy the breeze and watch the harbour traffic float by.

The island is replete with stark architectural contrasts. Rusting ironworks and maritime machinery jutting out of the ground is juxtaposed with the waterside camping ground where rowdy kids run free and play cricket.

Between 1839 and 1841 this was a notoriously tough prison for convicts from Norfolk Island and repeat offenders. The ghostly, sandstone cells remain to this day and the putrid conditions they endured were considered the harshest in the colony. To add to the misery of the overworked and underfed prisoners, they were surrounded by shark-infested waters offering little hope of escape.

One infamous escapee was the bushranger Fred Ward, known as Captain Thunderbolt, who in 1856 daringly swam north to a pre-arranged romantic rendezvous with his Aboriginal girlfriend - known as Black Mary - who apparently met him with a white steed. He was rewarded with six years of freedom before being captured and shot.

In 1870 the prisoners were relocated to Darlinghurst Jail and the island became an industrial school and reformatory for wayward girls. Orphaned and troubled boys were trained on a ship called the Vernon, anchored nearby.

By 1913 it was the home of the Commonwealth Naval Dockyard where workers built its first steel warship, and during World War II the island became the main naval dock, repair and maintenance yard for the entire Allied South Pacific fleet.

The Sutherland Dock was the largest in the world at 212m long, 27m wide and 10m deep. On the recorded audio tour, dockside workers recall how the mighty US warship New Orleans limped into the dock for repairs during the war after 15m of its bow was blown off by a Japanese torpedo.

So severe was the damage to the ship, it made the 2000km journey across the Pacific backwards, travelling at just two knots. Dockside workers recall when it arrived, the dock was lined with iron coffins waiting for the body parts of the sailors killed in the battle.

Another feature preserved from World War II - definitely a favourite with children - is Dog Leg Tunnel. The winding tunnel which cuts across the width of the island was built as an air raid shelter in 1942 and is now filled with sirens and other nostalgic sound effects adding to the spooky atmosphere.

Adjoining the docks and tunnels are cavernous but majestic sandstone factories filled with the relics of massive ironwork machinery. The audio reveals how the island's shipbuilding days were doomed as the sheer logistics of handling materials and machinery became uneconomical without road or rail access.

By 1990 the Australian Government moved the submarine refitting industry to Garden Island, ending Cockatoo's proud industrial history. But the renaissance of the island is now well underway with a regular programme of cultural events and educational activities.

GETTING THERE

Two ferries from Sydney's Circular Quay go to Cockatoo Island: the
Rivercat route to Parramatta and the Balmain/Woolwich route. Check the
transport information website at www.131500.com.au. Water taxis
also pick up and drop off at the island.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Details of tours, camping, etc are on the Cockatoo Island website at
www.cockatooisland.gov.au