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Cockatoo Island

756 Reviews

#1 of 2 things to do in Cockatoo Island

Islands, Nature & Parks

Sydney Harbour, Sydney, Cockatoo Island, New South Wales, Australia

+61 2 8969 2100

Website

Review Highlights

“21st Biennale of Sydney”

This was our third time on the island during the Biennale. We too went for a free 45 min guided... read more

Reviewed 2 days ago

agamala

Canberra, Australia

“Cockatoo Island with Art - excellent”

What a great morning outing, to get a ferry from Circular Quay, see harbour sights and end end up... read more

Reviewed 4 days ago

Les_Landau

Canberra, Australia

via mobile

Read all 756 reviews

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Overview

Off-limits to the public for more than one hundred years, Cockatoo Island welcomes you to a new chapter in its long and illustrious story. Retaining all its character and heritage from decades of human endeavour by convicts and shipbuilders alike, Cockatoo Island has opened its doors to all, with a mission to re-energise history. Now a place to escape the everyday, a canvas for creatives and cultural events, the world’s first urban waterfront campground and beautiful holiday accommodation, Cockatoo Island has undergone a renaissance in every sense of the word.

4.0

756 reviews

Excellent46%
Very good39%
Average10%
Poor2%
Terrible3%

Travelers talk about

“audio tour” (73 reviews)

“ship building” (73 reviews)

“industrial history” (9 reviews)

Suggested Duration: 2-3 hours

LOCATION

Sydney Harbour, Sydney, Cockatoo Island, New South Wales, Australia

CONTACT

Website

+61 2 8969 2100

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1 - 10 of 712 reviews

agamala

Canberra, Australia

5118

Reviewed 2 days ago

21st Biennale of Sydney

This was our third time on the island during the Biennale. We too went for a free 45 min guided tour and later spent a few hours wandering around the island and admiring the art. Excellent experience, but I would like to suggest a couple...More

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Les_Landau

Canberra, Australia

522125

Reviewed 4 days ago via mobile

Cockatoo Island with Art - excellent

What a great morning outing, to get a ferry from Circular Quay, see harbour sights and end end up on beautiful, interesting and historic Cockatoo Island. During the Sydney Biennale there are many works of art scattered on the island, sitting amongst the historic buildings...More

Ask Les_Landau about Cockatoo Island

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Gesmi2017

Brisbane, Australia

335

Reviewed 5 days ago

Great historical experience

Our visit to Cockatoo Island began with a lovely cruise up the ha4bour on a beautiful day. The audio tour of the island was great with an explanation and guide on what a critical role this island played in our naval and maritime history. Sone...More

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TexasRedTS

Dallas, Texas

Reviewed 1 week ago

17th wedding anniversary trip

We did these self-guided Tour on cockatoo Island I learned a lot about the islands dark past and what all the island had been used for many things I did not know. The island has beautiful views of the rest of the city definitely worth...More

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Linda M

224

Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

A very nice day trip

This was our first visit to see the Biennale, but we were blown away by the views and wonderful old buildings. The raw sandstone is gorgeous, and the huge warehouses where the ships were built are fascinating. The sculptures are well set into this historically...More

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bigboy61455

xxx

628940

Reviewed 1 week ago

New UNESCO site in Sydney

Cockatoo Island was named after native, noisy sulphur-crested parrots and is the largest island in Sydney's harbor at the intersection of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers. It was an Aboriginal fishing spot before settlement. Then it became a prison built to house convicts from...More

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bavey

Sydney, Australia

4911

Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

Rich history & a Biennale must see

Cockatoo island makes for a great half / three quarter day trip (unless giving the camping a go which I’ve yet to try so can’t comment) with a reasonable regular ferry service from Circular Quay (& a number of harbour stop offs including Barangaroo). The...More

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PJRC-Seniors

Midlands UK

7924

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

Worth a visit

Was not really sure what was on offer here, but we got the ferry across, and spent a good few hours here wandering around. It was an interesting place and with quite a bit of history.

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ByronQuartet

Melbourne, Australia

6927

Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

Interesting history

I visited cockatoo island to see the Ai Weiwei installation as part of the Sydney Biennale. The old ship building facilities were a great setting for the biennale, with the massive buildings housing industrial equipment that still smells of oil. The old tunnels that moved...More

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yangfengming

Sydney, Australia

3610

Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

Loved it!

As a Sydneysider, Cockatoo Island is one of my favourite places in Sydney to visit time and again. It’s so rich in history that I learn something new with each visit. The Bienniale of Sydney gave us an excuse to set foot on the island...More

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Ask a question

Questions & Answers

Sansjas

Is there free overnight parking at woolwich wharf thanks

December 21, 2016|

AnswerShow all 2 answers

There is limited free parking at the wharves around Sydney.

Tegan O

Someone mentioned in the comments there is a new funky bar on the island as of 1 Sep? Is this true?

September 5, 2016|

AnswerShow all 5 answers

In previous years they have had a funky bar with DJs during the spring & summer months, but it seems that it has been cancelled for this year, which is a real bummer.